Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the option to contest specific rulings made by the official, following the system already in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step comes just a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent case took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the official, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology are not new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
