The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the option to challenge specific decisions from the official, following the system currently in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move arrives only a season following the All England Club rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine other decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the official, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another change at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
