Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay systems will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the option to question certain calls from the chair umpire, echoing the protocol currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology 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 staging singles matches.
This development follows just a year after the AELTC implemented ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to review other situations, including:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a video and determined the player was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with precisely a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
