The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the ability to question specific decisions from the official, following the protocol already in operation at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to review other decisions, including:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
An illustrative example occurred 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 opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure if a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
