Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the right to contest particular decisions made by the chair umpire, echoing the practice already in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to review specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative case took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined Draper was guilty of interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
