Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the option to challenge specific rulings from the official, echoing the practice already in place at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move arrives only a season following the All England Club introduced ELC, which terminated the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to review other decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the number of challenges a player can request.
Case in Point
A recent incident took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further change at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days remaining until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
