The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the option to contest certain decisions made by the official, echoing the protocol already in use at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development comes just a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the number of reviews a player can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative case took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves instances where fans have occasionally been unsure if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
