Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Competitors are granted the option to challenge certain decisions from the official, echoing the practice already in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move follows just a season following the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and ruled the player was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
