Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Competitors will gain the right to question specific rulings from the chair umpire, echoing the practice already in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This development comes just a season following the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where spectators have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
