Tennis Video Review system to trial at Next Gen Finals

LONDON, (Reuters) - A Video Review system for judgement calls will be available to umpires and players for the first time at a tennis tournament when this year’s Next Gen ATP Finals starts in Milan next month, the men’s governing body confirmed on Friday.

Using Hawk-Eye technology, the Video Review will give players the chance to challenge judgement calls from the umpire such as whether a ball bounced twice or whether a player inadvertently made an illegal double hit.

It means tennis has followed the example of soccer, NFL and NBA in using Video Review to help reach correct decisions.

While rare, such incidents have caused controversy in tennis, most recently at Wimbledon this year when Novak Djokovic was infuriated after third-round opponent Kyle Edmund was awarded a point despite television replays clearly showing he had failed to scramble up a Djokovic drop shot.

“Adding Video Review will give players a new tool that will further enhance the officiating in our sport,” ATP Executive Chairman and President Chris Kermode said.

Hawk-Eye review technology for line calls has been a long-standing feature of professional tennis. At next month’s tournament, umpires will also be able to review judgement calls on a tablet at their chair, while players will have unlimited access to the new system, even if it is unlikely to be required often throughout the week.

“Controversy with these types of decisions is rare but when they do occur they can be particularly unsettling for players,” Gayle David Bradshaw, the ATP’s Executive Vice President, Rules & Competition, said in a statement.

“We do not expect a lot of challenges, but should any instances arise, this technology will ensure the correct decision is reached.” MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) - Last year’s race winner Max Verstappen led the way yesterday as Red Bull dominated first practice for a Mexican Grand Prix expected to crown Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton as a five times Formula One world champion.

The 21-year-old Dutch driver, who sees Mexico as his best chance of winning again before the end of the season, lapped the high-altitude Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in one minute 16.656 seconds.

Verstappen’s Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo was second fastest, 0.483 slower, on a bright morning in the capital.

Renault engines powered the top four cars, at a circuit where champions Mercedes and Ferrari have less of a power advantage, with Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg third and fourth for the French manufacturer’s works team.

Hamilton was fifth, but nearly one and half seconds slower than Verstappen on a dirty track sure to clean up considerably before Saturday’s qualifying, with team mate Valtteri Bottas sixth.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was seventh with team mate Kimi Raikkonen, fresh from winning in Texas last weekend, right behind despite a spin midway through the session.

Vettel is Hamilton’s only title rival but his hopes are hanging by the thinnest of threads and will end if the German fails to win on Sunday.