The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in employing video review technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the ability to challenge specific calls made by the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol currently in use at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This development arrives only a season following the AELTC implemented ELC, which terminated the longstanding tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of challenges a player can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a video and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been unsure if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
