The Future has arrived on the doorstep of Flushing Meadows. A change that has seemed inevitable during these past few years is now coming into play because of the corona-virus. Many years ago the US Open introduced the challenge system for the first time in tennis history. This system allows players to "challenge" a call that a line judge or umpire makes during a point in which an instant replay can overrule or confirm the original call. However, over the past few years there have been new technologies created that can call a ball in and out on the spot out loud so that players will be able to hear the call just as if a line judge was making a call. There would be no need for a challenge system because the computer/camera would never make a mistake. The reason this is being implemented is obviously because the US Open wants to limit the amount of people that are on the court or even on the whole premise of the US Open grounds. However, I have a strong feeling this new technology won't go away next year when the corona virus is no more. This also leads to the conversation already happening in sports such as baseball where umpires are constantly making controversial ball and strike calls that can have a huge impact on the game. The technology for a machine to call balls and strikes already exists so why not implement it into the game. The number one reason is to keep traditional ways of baseball and/or tennis but in reality sports are constantly adapting and their's no reason the officiating crews of these sports shouldn't adapt either.
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