Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the ability to challenge particular decisions from the chair umpire, following the practice already in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step comes just a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine other situations, including:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of reviews a player can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative example took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another change at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
