Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the option to contest particular calls from the chair umpire, echoing the system currently in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This development arrives only a year after the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled the player was responsible for interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely a century of days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
