The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships this year.
Athletes will gain the right to question particular rulings made by the chair umpire, following the practice already in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development comes just a season following the AELTC implemented ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no cap on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined the player was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have occasionally been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
