- Another thrilling round of the 2023 US Open is set to begin with new changes
- The last Grand Slam of the year starts from August 28 to September 10
- The year’s final Grand Slam has already announced its tech deployment
Another thrilling round of the 2023 US Open is set to begin with new changes as the last Grand Slam of the year starts from August 28 to September 10.
The US Open will provide the newest level of video assistance as technology is becoming more important than ever in tennis.
The conventional method of calling a match in major slams is changing, although Wimbledon still relies on linesmen to make the critical decisions on the court.
However, several players said they would want the electronic line-call method to be implemented at all competitions after a slew of errors in this year’s Wimbledon Championships.
One of the most contentious issues that raised eyebrows is when Novak Djokovic was disqualified from the competition for accidentally hitting a line person in the throat with a ball.
Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic. Photo/NDTV Sports
The year’s final Grand Slam has already announced that it will be the first to allow the match referee to check for double bounces using visual aid.
This year, any match-calling issue in New York will be resolved because it can be challenging to pick up if a player makes contact with the ball before it bounces twice.
Five of the 17 competition courts at the US Open, including the main Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium, Grandstand, Court 5, and Court 17, will have the video system set up for us.
Jake Garner, the new referee for the US Open, made the revisions after learning how difficult it was to call a double bounce while he was a chair umpire.
In an interview with the Associated Press Garner said that a different approach to transparency and precision doesn’t hurt.
“There were certain situations, of course, where you would see a video post-match and wish you had made a different decision or wish you had assistance in making that decision,” Garner stated.
Video assistance, also known as Hawk-Eye, is a technology that is used in tennis to review close calls and make sure that the correct decision is made.
It uses multiple high-speed cameras to track the ball’s trajectory and can provide instant replays of the point in question. This helps to eliminate human error and ensure that the players are treated fairly.
Novak Djokovic. Photo/The Week
This technology has been adopted by a majority of Grand Slam tournaments, and also by a growing number of ATP and WTA Tour events.
Incorrect decisions made by the umpire, such as whether a ball was in or out, can be reversed using video assistance. This makes sure that everyone is treated equitably and that a bad call won’t determine the result of the game.
Also, tennis players and the umpire may disagree on occasion as to whether a ball was in or out. To settle these disagreements and guarantee that the right decision prevails, technology helps.
Lastly, players and spectators can get more information regarding close calls which are sometimes contentious in tennis.
The US Open hopes to wade off confusion that mars the game at some point and also make it entertaining.
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