Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review systems will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the right to challenge certain rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in use at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of challenges a player can initiate.
A Recent Example
A recent example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
