HawkEye to be used

HawkEye uses high speed cameras allowing close line-calls to be accurately reviewed and was successfully used at the US Open in New York last August.

But while the Flushing Meadows tournament uses decisive-set tie-breaks, the Australian Open will be the first grand slam to use the system from six games all in the final set.

As in New York, players will be allowed two challenges per set with a correct challenge meaning the number remaining stays as two while an incorrect challenge results in the number remaining falls to one.

In the opening sets the player will then receive an extra challenge should a tie-break be needed. At six games all in the final set in Melbourne, the "challenge counter" will reset so that the players have another two challenges each for the next six games irrespective of their previous queries.

In the event of epic matches - such as the 2003 quarter-final in which Andy Roddick eventually triumphed over Younes El Aynaoui 21-19 in the final set - the challenges would be reset every 12 games.

"When matches go beyond six games all in the final set, players still have the safeguard of being able to turn the technology in cases where a call is disputed," said tournament director Craig Tiley.

Tiley also said that giant screens at Rod Laver Arena will replay HawkEye's verdict to increase the crowd participation.

The Australian Open is the first grand slam of 2007 and will be held between January 15th - 28th.