Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Video review technology will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the ability to challenge specific rulings made by the official, following the protocol currently in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible 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 follows just a year after the All England Club introduced ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
A Recent Example
A recent example took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
