The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in employing video review technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the right to challenge particular calls from the official, echoing the system already in use 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 throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step arrives only a season following the All England Club introduced ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine specific situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Potential interference end of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
A recent example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and determined the player was guilty of interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
