News about Nasdaq 100 and Instant Replay Electronic Line Calling

[FromThailand]

Instant Replay to Debut at NASDAQ-100 Open in 2006

The USTA, the ATP and the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour announced that electronic line calling technology, along with a player challenge system, will become part of professional tennis in North America. This breakthrough for the sport has been developed to improve officiating for players, while increasing the interest and excitement for in-stadium fans and television viewers.

The NASDAQ-100 Open will be the first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and ATP event to utilize the technology and on-court challenges. The NASDAQ-100 Open begins on March 22. The 2006 US Open will be the first Grand Slam to introduce instant replay technology and player challenges.

The on-court player challenge system for review of line calls will be as follows:

· Each player will receive two challenges per set to review line calls.
· If the player is correct with a challenge, then the player retains the same number of challenges.
· If the player is incorrect with a challenge, then one of the challenges is lost.
· During a tie-break game in any set, each player will receive one additional challenge.
· Challenges may not be carried over from one set to another.

Once a player challenges, the official replay will be provided to the chair umpire. In addition, the official replay will be provided simultaneously to the television broadcast and in-stadium video boards, allowing on-site fans and television viewers the opportunity to see the live results of a player challenge.

Hawk-Eye Officiating has been approved for use in professional tennis, and will be implemented at the NASDAQ-100 Open. In addition, tennis' governing bodies are continuing to explore other line calling technologies. The specific technology to be used at the 2006 US Open and US Open Series will be announced at a later date.

"With the speed and power of today's game, the time has come for tennis to benefit from new technology - - while adding to the fan experience," said Arlen Kantarian, Chief Executive, Professional Tennis, USTA. "This new breakthrough - - perhaps the most significant change to the game since the tie-breaker - - will improve line calls for players, while adding excitement and intrigue for fans and TV viewers. This new protocol was developed in partnership with our friends at the ATP and the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, and we look forward to a consistent system that will benefit the entire sport."

"Introducing this technology will make our sport more TV and fan friendly," said Sony Ericsson WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott. "Given the stakes in professional tennis, the ability to have more accurate line calls that can change a match is great news for players."

"The electronic line calling system and protocol will enhance the officiating for players and tournaments but more importantly offer an exciting and interactive element for the fans," said ATP Executive Chairman & President Etienne de Villiers. "The ATP Board approved the protocol with a rule that all tournaments using it must employ in-stadium video boards as a way to upgrade the entertainment experience for fans. We're very pleased to work with our friends at the USTA and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour on this initiative, the first of what we plan to be many such joint activities in the years ahead."

"Instant replay is a compelling addition to the televised coverage of tennis," said Tony Petitti, Executive Vice President and Executive Producer, CBS Sports. "Television viewers have enjoyed witnessing the decision making process surrounding rules and scoring in other major sports, including the NFL."

"This is another example of bringing 21st-century technology to a great game to serve the fans and competitors," said Len DeLuca, Senior Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions, ESPN and ABC Sports. "We look forward to settling the arguments on ESPN2."

"Electronic line calling is a revolutionary development for the game of tennis," said Butch Buchholz NASDAQ-100 Open Chairman and Co-Founder. "As good as the line judges are, having the ability to back them up with state-of-the-art technology is great for the game and for the players."

About the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour: The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour is the world's largest premier professional sport for women with more than 1,300 players representing 75 nations competing for $60 million in prize money at the Tour's 63 events in 35 countries. More than 4.5 million people attended women's tennis events in 2005 with millions more watching events on television networks around the world. The Sony Ericsson WTA tour season concludes with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships at Madrid Arena in Madrid, Spain, November 7-12, 2006.

About ATP: With 64 tournaments in 31 countries in 2006, the ATP showcases the finest athletes competing in the world's most exciting venues. From Australia to Europe and the Americas to Asia, the stars of the INDESIT ATP Rankings and the world's best teams in the Stanford ATP Doubles Race contend for prestigious titles at ATP Masters Series and other ATP tournaments. The season's top eight singles players and doubles teams will earn coveted berths at the elite 2006 Tennis Masters Cup, the year-end championship held in China from Nov. 12-19.

About The USTA: The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S., and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level - - from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended largest annual sporting event in the world, and launched the US Open Series linking 10 summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns the 94 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S., and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. A not-for-profit organization with 665,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game.

Players/Former Players on Instant Replay Technology Coming to Tennis ...

Andre Agassi
"In my 20 years in professional tennis, this is one of the most exciting things to happen for players, fans and television viewers. This new technology will add a whole new dimension to the game."

James Blake
"The ball's moving so fast these days that sometimes it's impossible for anyone to see, even a trained official. With instant replay we can take advantage of technology and eliminate human error. Having just a few challenges will make it both fun and dramatic for fans at the same time."

Jim Courier
"Yet another terrific step forward for tennis, something that will benefit players and spectators and bring more intrigue into the game. Based on my experience in the booth with this technology, we'll all be surprised at how good the linesmen's eyes are compared to the players."

Cliff Drysdale
"This would add another dimension for the viewer and the spectator at a tournament. Tennis is singular in the number of close calls you have in a match. Every time the ball hits the ground there is a question, with so many balls landing close to the lines."

Amelie Mauresmo
"For players out there giving it our all, it's great to know that we now have the ability to use technology that will make the game more accurate and better than ever, and more exciting for the fans."

John McEnroe
"If anyone's been listening to my commentary the past year then they know I'm in favor of using replay. I think it will make tennis more interesting."

Andy Roddick
"On top of just getting the calls right time after time, which will be nice, it'll add another aspect for TV viewers. If a player has two challenges per set, it will add drama and excitement. This will add to tennis and take out a lot of human error."

Maria Sharapova
"As a player, I want to know that line calls are as accurate as technology will allow. In that sense, today's announcement is great news for all players."

Pam Shriver
"As a player, and now as a TV commentator, I always dreamed of the day when technology would take the accuracy of line calling to the next level. That day has now arrived.



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[penpal]

Needless to say, this is very big news. Should be a lot of fun to watch the Nasdaq tourny and see how it all plays out.

I think Courier is right, and this will actually lead to players realizing how good the linesmen actually are.

 

[whistleway]

How lovely they ignored federer's comments on the electronic line calling

 

[Matthew]

How lovely they ignored federer's comments on the electronic line calling

What were his comments? I can probably guess...

 

[idle_fire]

One case, i hope (really) Agassi, Roddick, and Blake not in the same quarter side and don't pile up the hard court tough players non-US in one side like Nalby, Federer, Ljubicic, Safin, Davy, Gasquet, Nieminen, or Kiefer in Miami.

I wonder when will roddick get the top half draw if fed plays....lol

 

[gts072]

I see Kiefer using all his challenges in the first game of the match!!

 

[ask1ed]

It will point out how bad some of the players are. Remember Chang, Sanchez vicario, how bad they were on line calls? Roddick, Hewitt, Kiefer better watch it.

And it will also show how bad Norm Chryst is as a ref when so many of his non calls are exposed. He's the worst ref out there, mister "Why don't you grow some hair?", himself.

 

[coolblue123]

Gosh, why can't they just make it more simplier and have the darn thing make a sound everytime the ball is out???? Wouldn't it be more effective than another version of "Coaches Challenge?"

 

[coolblue123]

This seems like an evil ploy for tennis execs to squeeze more advertising commericals into tennis.

 

[wildbill88AA]

mcenroe would have been lost with this system. he'd have nothing to complain about.

 

[bigserving]

Now, players won't merely be able to merely whine, complain, and act victimized. If they really believe that a call was missed, they will have to step up and asked for a review.

For this reason, instant replay may actually help some of the more whiny, vocal players to shut up and play.

Look for most players to be far more quiet. Some will use appeals as a means to break up momentum like they use bathroom breaks and injury timeouts now.

 

[quest01]

About time this instant replay system has been implemented. It should be used in more ATP and WTA tournaments. Hopefully in the future it expands. The only gripe is that i think players should be allowed to challenge more then twice per set. Say goodbye to butthead calls.

 

[wildbill88AA]

About time this instant replay system has been implemented. It should be used in more ATP and WTA tournaments. Hopefully in the future it expands. The only gripe is that i think players should be allowed to challenge more then twice per set. Say goodbye to butthead calls.

but if they're right they retain their challenges.

 

[slice bh compliment]

good one

mcenroe would have been lost with this system. he'd have nothing to complain about.

, but I disagree. I think the resourceful and talented Mr. McEnroe would have come up with something at will:
the opponent's pace of play; the balls; flash photography; that stupid lady in the front row with the corn chips, etcetera.

 

[Moose Malloy]

but I disagree. I think the resourceful and talented Mr. McEnroe would have come up with something at will:
the opponent's pace of play; the balls; flash photography; that stupid lady in the front row with the corn chips, etcetera.

or the state of the court. One year at the French, Mac declared the court unplayable & refused to continue. Groundskeepers came out & just started stomping on the court in order to make it firmer. Pretty funny stuff.

Now, players won't merely be able to merely whine, complain, and act victimized.

Did you see Roddick say FU to the umpire last week? Nothing to do with a bad call, he felt he should get 2 serves due to noise disturbance.

 

[Max G.]

I'm definitely against the way it's being implemented.

Calling lines should be 100% up to the UMPIRES, not the players.

Does the umpire get to go to shotspot if he thinks the ball is close enough that he's not sure whether to overrule or not?

 

[norcal]

I'm definitely against the way it's being implemented.

Calling lines should be 100% up to the UMPIRES, not the players.

Does the umpire get to go to shotspot if he thinks the ball is close enough that he's not sure whether to overrule or not?

No, if the chair ump is unsure he does not overrule, same as before.

 

[rhubarb]

I'm definitely against the way it's being implemented.

Calling lines should be 100% up to the UMPIRES, not the players.

Does the umpire get to go to shotspot if he thinks the ball is close enough that he's not sure whether to overrule or not?

Hear hear. And the answer to the question is no, which is an amazingly stupid decision by the ATP, but unfortunately typical of their shortsightedness.

What is this technology for, again? No, of course it's not to make line-calling more accurate, it's a fancy gimmick to make it more "fun" for the fans (read: more bums on seats and viewers in front of the TV, therefore more $$$ in the till), and that's why we need a challenge system.

Aaaaaaarghhhhhhh.

 

[simi]

...the official replay will be provided...to...in-stadium video boards...

"...said ATP Executive Chairman & President Etienne de Villiers. "The ATP Board approved the protocol with a rule that all tournaments using it must employ in-stadium video boards..."

Not sure I like the way it is being implemented. I don't know the technology behind the system, but I doubt that there will be "in-stadium video boards" on all of the outside courts at the tournaments. That would be way too expensive. Would the premiere players have an unfair advantage because they almost always play on the show courts, with the system, while the "no-names" play on the outside courts until they advance far enough in the tournament to play on a show court? Just wondering. Now sure what type of advantage it would give to a player.

 

[tennissavy]

I am all for the idea behind the elecronic line calling system but I have two issues with the actual system and its use. First of all, there should be no limit to the number of challenges. It takes almost no time at all to review, much less than the umpire coming down to check a mark on clay and even argue with players regarding that mark, so it won't delay the match. Second of all, though the idea is great the "shotspot" is sometimes wrong. It is not 100 percent accurate that's for sure. I have used my dvr to slow motion the image and at times the ball is landing about 3 inches out but shot spot has shown it out only a half inch! WTF???? Sometimes balls hit the lines and shot spot shows them out by 4 or 5 inches!!! Again, WTF????

 

[156MPHserve]

How lovely they ignored federer's comments on the electronic line calling

I recall Roger openly stating that he did not like the use of electronic line calling. He liked the way things were.

This guy is so sly. He always hits so close to the lines, he wants the benefit of the doubt all the time, electronic line calls may rob him good. JUST KIDDING.

I'm very happy about this. I still remember the Austrailian. Sharapova and Hantuchova were playing a pretty good match, and then Sharapova hit a serve wide but got an ace for it. Hantuchova complained but got not aid. She quickly hit two backhands into the net and lost the set.

Then next round, Sharapova got a bad call on her break-point against JHH. Then the next game, it was JHH's break point, and she got another bad call. She could've been up 4 - 2 or at least on serve, 3 - 3, but instead she was down a break at no fault of hers.

Then JHH continued on to rob Mauresmo of her glory for winning her first GS. Sharapova vs Mauresmo would've been a great match, or at least the competitor in Sharapova would never allow herself to quit.

BUT IT'S ALL GOOD NOW!

I hope perhaps in the future, ALL the calls can be handled by electronic line calling. Doesn't seem like a hard thing to do. Have speakers where the line judges stand, then when there's a ball out, the appropriate speaker will blast, "OUT!" The screen can just show quickly where the ball landed, not the whole sequence of the bounce like TV.

 

[serveitup911]

The players should not have to challenge. The umpire will obviously have the display in front of him. He should review any close calls himself and overrule automatically if he sees a mistake.

 

[J-man]

you know i was just thinking. the electronic line calling calls for more thinking on the court. a player could be thinking about when he should call a challenge or now that it is new about the electronic line calling. it could serve as a disadvantage at first to some players

 

[Moose Malloy]

MIAMI (Reuters) - Jamea Jackson became the first player to challenge a line call using electronic technology in a regular WTA event during her 7-5 6-7 7-5 defeat of Ashley Harkleroad at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami on Wednesday.

The American used one of her two challenges on the first point of the second set on a forehand called out. An official immediately studied a replay using the Hawkeye system and ruled that the call was correct.

The decision was flashed on the scoreboard for fans to see and play then continued. Jackson then lost a second challenge on her way to victory.

"I loved it, I thought it was great," Jackson said of the system. "It takes a lot of pressure off.

"You don't get angry. You just play and don't worry about the line calls. I wanted to be the first (to use the system), that's what it was really all about."

Electronic line-calling technology is making its debut this week at the men's and women's tournament -- a decision that has received a mixed welcome from the players.

Hawkeye can measure ball position to within four millimeters using eight court cameras. Players have two challenges per set and only lose a challenge if they are incorrect.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news?slug=reu-miamichallengedc&prov=reuters&type=lgns

 

[GRANITECHIEF]

Interestingly enough, from what i read, her challenge was unsuccessful, as the original call stood.

 

[The tennis guy]

The players should not have to challenge. The umpire will obviously have the display in front of him. He should review any close calls himself and overrule automatically if he sees a mistake.

How can the umpire check the display during a point? The challenge system is implenmed due to the fact the player has to stop play if he wants to challenge. You can't continue to play the point, then challenge a line call before the point ended, which is similar to on clay.

 

[stoneagle]

i think when the linesperson make a questionable
call by neither players, then i think the
umpire must check the shotspot video replay.

personally, i trust the shotspot more the linespeople
call. why, you asked, because the ball is "faster than
the human eye". the shotspot is at least 98 or 99% right than
human eyes who are only maybe 50% or less right."most of
the time the linespeople are wrong anyway."

also, at least when shot spot is replayed on screen
there is no human involved to blamed with.

other things: do you see often times when the local
tournaments are played there are no umpires. the players
has to call their own calls. often times the players feel
they are being cheated with their opponents?. in reality
players are not cheating. why, because the ball is
faster than the human eye. it's probably 100,000/of (one
hundred thousands) of a seconds. so basically, players are
not cheating, but they only make their own best judgement on
their calls, because simply they cannot possibly see the ball
100% with their own eyes.

 

[Fedubai]

Federer has been quoted as saying it's a "pure waste of money", and that what is going on "is madness". Safin has also been quoted as being against it. However, Federer did not indicate when he talked about it at Indian Wells that he was against it so vehemently.

The big question is, what happens if 80 or 90 percent of the calls that are challenged are upheld? I think that would then justify the idea that this is a waste of money.

Also, questions of fairness are valid IMO, IF the technology plays an effective role in matches.

With only two challenges per set, I see it as having a potentially devastating impact on a match (player challenges it on set point or match point). Still, is that potential worth the insane amount of money that this is going to take to put on center courts around the world?

 

[Calboymatt]

but if they're right they retain their challenges.

I 100% agree :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[skip1969]

if the atp and wta were REALLY interested in improving the quality of linespeople/linescalls (for the good of the game) then why didn't they think to give the (supposed) power of shot spot to the one person on the court whose sole responsibility is to make sure the lines are called correctly: the umpire.

it seems foolish to only be able to use the technology on a few points during a match, at the urging of the PLAYERS (who, many posters have already pointed out should not be in control of calling the lines). if the ump had shot spot at his/her disposal, he/she could use it constructively to confirm an overrule or settle disputed calls. instead, shot spot is merely a side-show gimmick, to be used at the whim of the players or at the urging of the crowd.

truly, a wasted opportunity to use a tool of technology.

and don't get me started on how the s**t is only on the show courts. i mean, where is the consistency? much less the fairness in devising a system that all of the players could benefit from during any match/round of a tournament.