The Electronic Review system trials are ongoing ©Getty Images

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has announced a trial of the electronic review system at clay-court events.

It is being introduced for the first time, starting with the ATP 500 event in Rio de Janeiro next month.

The trial was approved by the ATP Board last November, across the ATP 250 at an event to be decided, ATP 500 at the Rio Open and ATP Masters 1000 in a tournament to be announced. 

The tournament application process for electronic review in the spring clay-court season is ongoing.

The players have used the ball markings to challenge calls previously ©Getty Images
The players have used the ball markings to challenge calls previously ©Getty Images

First introduced on the ATP Tour in 2006 in Miami, the challenge system has been implemented on all surfaces except for clay, where the players have been asking chair umpires to check ball marks during matches.

The process is designed to increase accuracy of officiating, with no limit to the number of challenges available to players during the trial.

A number of trials have been undertaken at ATP Challenger Tour events in 2019, including accuracy and shadow testing.

The Rio trial will take place with technology from FOXTENN, officially approved by ATP as an electronic review system for use on clay.