The ITF, ATP, Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and Grand Slams have agreed to adopt a unified challenge system in all professional tennis tournaments and team competitions.
Since the arrival of electronic line-calling review systems, the governing bodies have taken advantage of this exciting technology in various ways – from unlimited challenges by the players in a match to a limited number of unsuccessful challenges per set.
It has now been agreed to adopt a common protocol throughout professional tennis that will allow players/teams a maximum of 3 unsuccessful challenges per set plus 1 more unsuccessful challenge if a set reaches a Tie-break.
For those events with advantage sets, at 6 games all, players/teams will start again with a maximum of 3 unsuccessful challenges every 12 games thereafter. Players will continue to have an unlimited number of successful challenges.
This unified challenge system will be implemented at all events where an electronic line-calling system is in place, beginning with next week’s Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.
