In 2003, it was decided players no longer would need to bow or curtsy to the Royal Box behind one of the Centre Court baselines. Instead, players only are required to pay homage if Queen Elizabeth II or Prince Charles is present — and neither has stopped by to watch tennis at Wimbledon since the 1970s.

Also, construction has started on a roof for Centre Court, expected to be fully operational in 2009. That will consign to history, at least on Wimbledon’s most hallowed court, one of the tournament’s grandest traditions: rain delays.

And then there’s the prize money. The All England Club announced in February it would give men and women the same amounts from the first round to the final for the first time since players began getting paid in 1968.

So replay fits in with a growing sense that this is no longer your grandfather’s Wimbledon.

“I don’t think tradition means you can’t change anything, ever,” Roddick said. “They renovate Fenway, they renovate Wrigley. They’re moving Yankee Stadium. It can be done.”

Long a proponent of electronic line-calling, Roddick used the system to his advantage Thursday at a Wimbledon warmup at Queen’s Club in London. He lost the first set to Alex Bogdanovic and was tied 5-5 in a second-set tiebreaker when a call went against Roddick, setting up match point.

Roddick challenged, got the call overturned and was on his way to a three-set victory.

Even players once vocal in their criticism of the system have been coming around.

That includes Roger Federer, who will be seeking his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title this year. The world’s No. 1 player still is not a big fan of the technology, and he maintains it probably won’t alter a match’s result.

Yet asked recently about replays at Wimbledon, Federer said, “I’m quite OK with it. It doesn’t disturb me anymore.”

Not quite a ringing endorsement, maybe, but it counts as progress.

Another past Wimbledon champion, Lleyton Hewitt, noted, “I’m not the biggest fan of it,” before adding, “It does bring the public and the fans into it” — pointing to a big reason why major tournaments went this route.

At events large and small, spectators clap or shout when players challenge calls, then become even more enthusiastic when replays are shown, getting as animated about the video as any volley.

Through the first three days of the Queen’s Club tournament, there were 25 challenges, and eight calls were overturned, a 32 percent success rate. That’s similar to last year’s U.S. Open, where 72 of 226 challenges were successful, 31.8 percent.

“When we discussed the introduction of Hawk-Eye, everybody was very enthusiastic. It’s a helpful addition to the game,” Ritchie said. “The players felt it was a step forward.”

So what’s next? Rip up the turf and play on hard courts? Allow — gasp! — colored outfits?

Too much? Well, how about showing replays of fantastic points on those snazzy new video screens at Centre Court?

“We’re not ready to go full blast this year,” Ritchie said. “We need to look at how we use that screen technology for 2008.”

One step at a time.

MORE FROM TENNIS

Tennis Section Front

Nadal again loses to Soderling USTA tax forms show ex-CEO paid $9.15M in 2008 Interactive: Creating the perfect tennis player ATP, WTA scores, schedules MORE ON TENNIS Latest tennis videos Tennis Section Front   Add Tennis headlines to your news reader: