Wimbledon Embraces Video Replay Technology for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at The Championships this year.
Players will gain the right to challenge particular calls made by the official, mirroring the system currently in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step comes just a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a player can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative example took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another change at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
