Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing video review technology.
Replay systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the option to question certain rulings from the chair umpire, mirroring the practice already in use at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development follows just a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which brought an end to the longstanding tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine other decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
A recent example took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled the player was responsible for interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian 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 in place at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
