Hawkeye and Cyclops

Up until recently, tennis has relied on the keen eye of just their officials to make the calls on the court. Now there are a few systems being used to ensure the correct call is made every time.

The first is Cyclops, it is used to determine if serves are in or out. The machine projects five or six infra-red horizontal beams of light along the court 10 mm above the ground to determine this. The ball will break the plane of the infra red beams if it is out of bounds.

The Hawkeye technology is used to judge weather a ball is in our out. In 2005 it was tested by the ITF and certified for professional use. The system uses a computer linked to a network of cameras to recreate the balls path and judge to the millimeter if the ball was in or not. The implementation of the Hawkeye technology has led to players receiving a number of challenges to use when they believe a shot may have been called incorrectly. In March of 2008, the ITF set the standard for Hawkeye challenges at 3 per set for players. This technology now has given players the ability to challenge critical decisions and ensure they are rewarded for their efforts.