Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing replay technology.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the option to challenge certain decisions made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice already in place at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step comes just a season following the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Potential interference end of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a player can request.
Practical Application
A recent example took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Further Updates
A further change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
