Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing video review technology.
Video review technology are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the ability to question certain rulings made by the official, echoing the protocol already in use at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development arrives only a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
Case in Point
A recent incident took place in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another change at Wimbledon 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 fans have sometimes been unsure if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
