The tournament joins the American and Australian Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Video review technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the ability to challenge particular decisions made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice already in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development comes just a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to review other situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a player can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
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 viewed a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It was adopted at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
