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LONDON - Host since 1877 to one of the most tradition-laden of sporting events, from the grass courts to the all-white attire, the All England Lawn Tennis Club has been doing its best lately to keep up with the changing times.
Obligatory curtsies are gone, a retractable roof is on its way, and men and women will earn equal prize money this year. Another update really could affect the outcome of matches: Yes, it’s true, instant replay is coming to Wimbledon, video screens and all.
When action begins June 25 at the Grand Slam tournament, Centre Court and Court 1 will be equipped with technology for the “Hawk-Eye” challenge system, allowing for electronic reviews of close calls.
It could make official-baiting, McEnroe-esque cries of “You can’t be serious!” a thing of the past. To some, such as 2003 U.S. Open champion and two-time Wimbledon runner-up Andy Roddick, that’s quite all right.
“Everybody’s kind of making a big deal over Wimbledon. Well, I hate to tell you: Wimbledon’s getting a roof, Wimbledon’s getting ’Hawk-Eye,”’ Roddick said. “The tradition’s always going to be there, with the whites and with kind of the old school feel around and stuff, but at the same time, if you feel you can improve your event, I think you have to do it.”
The “Hawk-Eye” system made its Grand Slam debut at the U.S. Open last year, and the Australian Open followed suit in January. It’s not likely to be tried at the other major, the French Open, because balls leave marks in the red clay that can be checked.
When a player questions a call, screens show a graphic rendering of the ball’s flight, in slow motion, with a black spot indicating where the ball landed. That spot either touches a white line (the ball was in) or it doesn’t (the ball was out).
At the U.S. Open and Australian Open, players were allowed two incorrect challenges per set — if a call is overturned, the player keeps that challenge — plus an extra one if a there’s a tiebreaker. At Wimbledon, players will be given three per set, plus an extra one for a tiebreaker; in a fifth set for men or a third set for women, where there is no tiebreaker, the number of challenges will be reset if the game score reaches 6-6.
Part of the reason for the extra challenge at Wimbledon is that on the two courts that will have “Hawk-Eye,” they’re removing the Cyclops system that monitored the service lines and let out a “Beep!” on faults.
It might be odd not to hear those beeps. Even odder: Seeing replays on 16½-by-10-foot screens at Wimbledon, where some courts still use hand-operated scoreboards.
“We’re all very keen on keeping tradition,” All England Club Chief Executive Ian Ritchie said, “but we’ve always got to look to move forward.”
That’s part of a recent pattern at Wimbledon, where modernity has managed to creep in more and more during this millennium.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
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Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
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