Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing replay technology.
Video review technology are set to arrive at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the right to challenge specific calls from the chair umpire, mirroring the system currently in place at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This development follows just a season following the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to review other decisions, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there will be no limit on the number of challenges a player can ask for.
Case in Point
A recent example took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. It has been in use 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 men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 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.
