The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the option to question certain decisions made by the official, mirroring the system currently in use at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development follows just a year after the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other situations, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the number of challenges a competitor can ask for.
A Recent Example
An illustrative example took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology are not new for major tournaments. 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 the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
