Changes to Instant Replay System for 2008 Australian Open
Published by Aaress Lawless on Nov 13, 2007 | Print |
Tennis’ instant replay system, Hawk-Eye, will be a little more generous to the players at Melbourne Park in 2008.
The Australian Open’s tournament director Craig Tiley announced changes to the challenge system earlier today, according to this Melbourne Herald Sun article.
Instead of offering players only two challenges per set, with an additional one in a tie break, the Australian Open will be using a “three-plus-one” format.
“That means players get three incorrect challenges during a set and a fourth challenge if it goes into a tiebreaker,” said Tiley.
Hawk-Eye will be used not only in Rod Laver Arena during the 2008 Grand Slam, but also Vodafone Arena.
Vicki | Nov 15, 2007 | Reply
I think it ws great that harkeye was invented but why do they still limit the challenges? For it to be trurly effective thet have to make the challenges unlimited. So a player on an important point like a break point at 5-4 down can have compleate satisfaction that the call was correct. While harkeye was in trial stages it was fair enough but now we know how effective it just make it unlimited challagenges. the matches will move far quicker once officaldom do it.
PaulaV | Nov 15, 2007 | Reply
The risk of abuse is what may be causing tennis officials to not make the hawk-eye system unlimited. Also, you have to factor in TV time.
Stations like ESPN are on a set schedule with limited airtime. The challenge system could potentially lengthen a match so much that stations may have to end their broadcast before the match ends.
Although, I hear the hawk-eye system will be unlimited for the Davis Cup match. Crazy. If it were up to me, I would change the rules so that if a player successfully wins all available challenges in a given set, the umpire should be replaced. Sorry if that sounds harsh.