Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the right to challenge specific rulings from the official, echoing the protocol already in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step comes just a season following the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine other situations, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Potential interference end of a point.
Importantly, there is no cap on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't new for Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where spectators have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
