Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in employing replay technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the right to contest specific decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development arrives only a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which terminated the longstanding role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be no cap on the number of challenges a player can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent example occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and determined Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not 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 women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.