Wimbledon Introduces Video Replay System for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing video review technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Competitors are granted the right to contest specific rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice already in place at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development arrives only a season following the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to review specific situations, including:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of reviews a player can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
