The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the right to challenge particular decisions made by the official, echoing the practice already in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step arrives only a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative example took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Further Updates
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely 100 days remaining until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
