The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the ability to challenge specific rulings made by the chair umpire, following the practice already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step comes just a season following the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to review specific situations, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further change at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where fans have occasionally been unsure if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
