Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Replay systems will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Competitors are granted the ability to contest specific calls from the chair umpire, echoing the system currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the official to review other decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a player can initiate.
Case in Point
A recent incident took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have the system in place at every one of its events.
Further Updates
A further change at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves situations where fans have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
