The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Competitors are granted the ability to contest particular rulings made by the chair umpire, echoing the system currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development comes just a season following the AELTC implemented ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of reviews a player can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative case occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a video and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at all of its events.
Other Changes
A further change at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where spectators have sometimes been unsure if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
