Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the ability to question certain calls made by the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol currently in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development arrives only a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but they can request the official to re-examine other situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined the player was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. It has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been unsure if a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
