Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Video review systems are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the option to contest particular decisions from the chair umpire, following the protocol already in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the official to review specific situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
A recent case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and ruled the player was guilty of interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not exclusive to Grand Slams. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
