Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review technology will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the ability to challenge certain calls from the official, mirroring the practice already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move arrives only a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there will be no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted 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 the system in place at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely a century of days to go until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
