Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Video review systems will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Competitors are granted the option to contest particular calls from the chair umpire, echoing the protocol already in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step arrives only a year after the AELTC introduced ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a competitor can ask for.
A Recent Example
A recent incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves situations where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
