LONDON -- Instant-replay technology in tennis underwent a
big test Friday in a Champion's Tour event.
With the Hawk-Eye technology in place to help resolve disputed
line calls, Jim Courier defeated Cedric Pioline 6-4, 7-5 in the
quarterfinals at Royal Albert Hall.
The technology was used for the first time in the tournament
after three days of technical hitches.
A four-time Grand Slam champion, Courier has been an
enthusiastic backer of the technology. He will recommend that it be
used in next year's U.S. Open, which he called a "90 percent"
possibility.
"I think it will be a terrific addition for tennis," said
Courier, who challenged a few calls just to test the equipment.
The verdict?
"Hawk-Eye is a great addition for tennis and the players," he
said.
He said the equipment still needed fine tuning, and said there
would need to be limits on the number of challenges to line calls.
"Limited changes will make the players only question when they
feel they were wronged," he said.
Next month's Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, will allow umpires
to use Hawk-Eye -- the first elite event to do so.
Courier joined the U.S. Open committee last year and is pushing
for Hawk-Eye to be used by umpires at the final Grand Slam of the
year.