Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay systems will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the ability to challenge particular decisions made by the official, mirroring the system already in place at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step follows just a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of reviews a player can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not new for Grand Slams. The system has been in use 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 the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
