Wimbledon Introduces Video Replay System for the First Time.
The tournament joins the American and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes will gain the right to question particular calls made by the official, mirroring the practice currently in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step arrives only a season following the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the number of challenges a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further 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 solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
