Australian Open to adopt Line-Calling solution

Tennis Australia announced today that will adopt a system of limited challenges for the HawkEye video line-calling at Australian Open 2007 but with a customised solution which offers additional opportunities to challenge should play go to the advantage stage at six games all in the final set.

Players are allowed two challenges in a normal set. If a player is correct with a challenge, they retain the same number of challenges during that set. If they are incorrect, then one of their challenges is lost.

At the Australian Open, if play reaches six games all in the final set, the ‘challenge counter’ is effectively reset regardless of how many challenges a player had left. Both players start afresh, each with the opportunity for a further two challenges in the next 12 games. These challenges are not cumulative.

In the men’s singles, the final set advantage applies in the fifth set. For the women’s singles it applies in the third set.

This ‘reset’ continues every 12 games until the finish of the match to accommodate the potential for the type of epic contests that have been seen at the Australian Open such as the 2003 men’s quarterfinal match between Andy Roddick and Younes El Aynaoui which went to 21-19 in the fifth set.

Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley said, “Video line-calling with the HawkEye system has proved to be a popular addition in tennis and its introduction at Australian Open 2007 is going to be attractive new feature for both fans and players.

“Today’s announcement of the challenge system reflects what is special about the format at the Australian Open and means that when matches go beyond six games all in the final set, players still have the safeguard of being able to turn to the technology in cases where a call is disputed.”

In the preceding sets, the challenge system will mirror that used at this year’s US Open and on the ATP and WTA Tours. Players have a limit of two challenges each set to review a line call. If the set then goes to a tiebreaker, each player receives one additional opportunity to challenge. The total number of challenges cannot be carried over from one set to another.

There is no limit to the overall number of challenges a player can make in a match providing these challenges are subsequently shown by the HawkEye system to be correct. These on-court challenges also have to be made in a timely manner and, similar to traditional challenges made on a claycourt, can only be made on point-ending shots or when a player stops play.

January 2007 will be the first time video line-calling will have been used at the Australian Open with big screens being installed on Rod Laver Arena which will bring a new dimension to the entertainment for fans.

Video Line Calling Summary:

• Unlimited number of opportunities to challenge during a match.
• The limit is based around the number of incorrect challenges which are:
o Two ‘incorrect’ challenges per set, i.e. make two challenges which subsequently turn out to be incorrect in the video review and the player is not allowed to challenge again in that set;
o If the set goes to a tiebreaker’, an additional opportunity is given to challenge;
o This additional challenge adds to the number a player has left for that set;
o At the end of the set the players go back to having two challenges limit for the next set regardless of how many they had used previously.

In the final ‘Advantage’ set:

• The limit of two ‘incorrect’ challenges as per previous sets;
• However, if the match is tied at six games all in this set (fifth set for men’s singles and third set for women’s singles) the counter is reset with both players again having the opportunity to make two challenges in the next 12 games regardless of how many they had previously used;
• This process of ‘resetting’ is repeated after every 12 games.

The first Grand Slam of the 2007 tennis calendar will see over 500 of the world’s top players competing for a total prizepool of exactly AUD $20 million. The winners of the men’s and women’s singles alone will pick up AUD $1,281,000 each.

Rod Laver Arena and Vodafone Arena single session tickets are currently on sale. Bookings can be made by phoning 1300 888 104 (or +61 2 8736 2711 for international callers); in person at Ticketek agencies across Australia or New Zealand; or via the internet at www.AustralianOpen.com.

The hugely popular Australian Open Ground Passes, which offer access to matches on the outside courts, the concerts in Garden Square and to the unreserved seating in Vodafone Arena, go on sale from Friday 1 December for as little as $19 in the second half of the tournament ($29 on the first eight days and $20 on the final weekend when the ticket price includes the special finals day concerts in Garden Square).

The After Five Ground Pass, which gives access to Melbourne Park from 5pm, also goes on sale from 1 December for only $20 and offers access to the Night Feature Match on Margaret Court Arena and the concerts in Garden Square. Families, too, can enjoy the action, with the great value Family Ground Pass which, for only $80, offers access for two adults and two children (or one adult and three children).

Australian Open 2007 takes place at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, from 15-28 January 2007.