Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Video review technology are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the option to question certain decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol already in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development arrives only a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine other situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a player can initiate.
A Recent Example
A recent case occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another change 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 occasionally been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
