The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review technology will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the option to question certain decisions made by the chair umpire, following the system currently in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the official to review other decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire watched a video and ruled Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. It was adopted 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 next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
