The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Players will gain the right to contest certain calls made by the chair umpire, echoing the protocol already in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which terminated the longstanding role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
