The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the option to challenge particular calls made by the official, following the protocol currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step arrives only a year after the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Case in Point
A recent incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined the player was guilty of interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. 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 next season the men's ATP Tour will have the system in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
