Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors are granted the option to contest specific decisions from the official, following the protocol already in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step follows just a season following the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
A recent case occurred in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
