The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes will gain the ability to challenge certain rulings made by the chair umpire, following the protocol already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move follows just a year after the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to review other situations, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
Practical Application
A recent incident took place in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined Draper was responsible for interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where fans have occasionally been unsure if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
