Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes are granted the right to question specific rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol currently in use at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a year after the All England Club introduced ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent case occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at all of its events.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where spectators have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
