Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review systems will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the ability to challenge certain rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol already in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development follows just a season following the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled the player was guilty of interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. The system 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 the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
