Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay systems will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Athletes are granted the right to question certain rulings made by the official, following the protocol already in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a season following the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the official to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
An illustrative case took place in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves instances where spectators have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
