Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay systems will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Athletes are granted the option to question particular rulings from the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step comes just a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to review specific situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a player can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative example took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and determined the player was guilty of interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system 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 ATP circuit will have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
