Time for Instant Replay?
Did you watch the James Blake and Juan-Carlos Ferrero match at Wimbledon on Friday? One of the most incredible shots I’ve ever seen in tennis occurred during that match. Unfortunately, the instant replay on TV after the fact showed that it wasn’t actually a legal shot, i.e. James Blake hit a backhand down the line passing shot that hit the wooden net post and ricocheted into
the court landing inside the singles sideline. The umpire ruled the shot was good and awarded the point to Blake. However, the video replay actually showed that the shot had hit the net post and gone UNDER the wire cord holding the net up as it ricocheted off the net post. If the umpire and players had access to the video instant replay which is used in most professional team sports, then the correct call would have been made. Is it time for a review of instant replay technology in tennis? Why is it only used for a review of line calls when it could be used in other situations, e.g. whether a ball has bounced twice; was it a double hit; or did the ball go over or under the net post?
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