The US Open tennis tournament introduced a new video review system for the first time this year, but it faced a major glitch during Andy Murray’s first-round match against Corentin Moutet on Tuesday. The system, which is supposed to help the umpires make accurate calls on double bounces, net touches and other situations, malfunctioned when Moutet challenged a point in the final set.
What happened in the match?
Murray was serving for the match at 5-3, 15-30 in the third set when he hit a forehand that Moutet barely reached and returned. The chair umpire Louise Azemar Engzell called a double bounce and awarded the point to Murray. Moutet, however, asked for a video review, which is available on five courts at the US Open this year.
The video replay was shown on the big screen and on the TV broadcast, clearly indicating that the ball had bounced twice before Moutet hit it. However, the umpire announced that the official technology was not working and that she had nothing on her tablet. She said that the original call would stand, as per the protocol.
Murray was baffled by the situation and said that it took about four minutes to make a decision. He said that he was in favor of using technology to get the right calls, but that it had to be working properly. He added that he was pleased that the original call stood and that he got the point.
How does the video review system work?
The video review system is a new feature at the US Open this year, which allows the umpires to check certain situations that are not covered by the existing Hawk-Eye Live electronic line-calling system. The situations include double bounces, net touches, racket touches, player challenges on whether a shot landed in or out, and any other incident where an official believes that video review would assist with making a call.
The system uses multiple cameras around the court to capture different angles of the action. The umpires have access to a tablet on their chair, where they can request and view the video replays. The replays are also shown on the big screens and on the TV broadcast for the fans and viewers to see.
The umpires have the final say on whether to use the video review or not, and they can also overrule the video evidence if they believe it is inconclusive or incorrect. The players cannot challenge the umpire’s decision after a video review.
What was the reaction to the glitch?
The glitch in the video review system during Murray’s match caused some confusion and frustration among the players, fans and commentators. Murray said that he did not know how the system was supposed to work and who was supposed to make the decision on it. He said that it was clear from the second video that the ball had bounced twice, but he did not know why the umpire could not see it on her tablet.
Moutet was also unhappy with the outcome and said that he felt cheated by the system. He said that he did not understand why they had introduced a new technology if it was not reliable. He said that he had seen the replay on the big screen and that it was obvious that he had hit the ball before it bounced twice.
The tournament officials blamed the issue on a malfunctioning tablet on Grandstand court, where Murray and Moutet played. They said that they had repaired it immediately after the match and that they would continue to monitor and test all devices throughout the tournament. They also said that they were committed to providing fair and accurate officiating for all matches.
