Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the right to contest particular decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the system currently in use at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One throughout the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step follows just a year after the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine specific situations, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the official, but thought his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a video and determined the player was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
