Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the right to contest certain decisions made by the official, echoing the practice already in operation at each of 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 tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step arrives only a season following the AELTC introduced ELC, which brought an end to the longstanding tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the official to review specific decisions, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
Case in Point
A recent incident occurred in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. It was adopted 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 next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where fans have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
