The tournament joins the American and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the option to challenge particular decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol already 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 for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step follows just a year after the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to review other situations, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the number of reviews a player can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where fans have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
