The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Replay technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Players are granted the ability to contest specific decisions from the chair umpire, echoing the system currently in place at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move arrives only a season following the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can ask for.
Practical Application
A recent incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
