Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the right to question certain decisions made by the chair umpire, following the system already in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
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 staging singles matches.
This step follows just a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the official to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of challenges a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative example took place in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It 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 ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further innovation at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
