Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Players are granted the right to challenge particular decisions made by the chair umpire, mirroring the system already in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move arrives only a season following the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to review other decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of challenges a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where spectators have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
