Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the ability to contest specific rulings made by the official, mirroring the system currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system 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 hosting singles matches.
This move arrives only a year after the AELTC implemented ELC, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a player can ask for.
Practical Application
A recent incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
