Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay systems will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes are granted the option to contest specific decisions from the official, following the practice already in operation at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development arrives only a season following the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
A recent incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined the player was guilty of interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
