The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review technology are set to arrive at The Championships this year.
Athletes will gain the ability to contest particular calls made by the official, following the practice currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move follows just a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine other situations, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the amount of challenges a player can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative case occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled the player was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
