Every close play at the Wimbledon Championships was monitored by an eye in the sky computer system known as Hawk-Eye.
Technology has truly infiltrated sports and in this case the result is the relative absence of human error.
One wonders how FIFA has yet to adopt such technological practices, especially Frank Lampard.
Regardless, as you watched the Wimbledon Championships in late June and early July you may have wondered how exactly this technology works.
It is known as Hawk-Eye because of its development by Dr.
Paul Hawkins and his team of researchers in Romsey, Hampshire in the UK.
It works by using the principles of triangulation to create a three dimensional recreation of the balls flight.
Six cameras that are placed strategically around and above the court record the rally at sixty frames per second, nearly double the speed of a regular camera.
The process eventually becomes four dimensional as time is taken in to consideration as well.
The triangulation technology determines the placement of the ball with a very high level of accuracy.
Next, the 3D version of the ball's flight is measured against the rules and dimensions that are installed in a separate store of data.
In other words, there is a predefined virtual tennis court that the 3D rally can be played on.
Both the 3D path of the ball, as well as the predefined virtual tennis court is combined to simulate the actual events.
Hawk-Eye goes even further as it also takes in to consideration the skid and compression of the ball.
As the ball hits the surface at a certain trajectory, physics tells us that it will not simply bounce straight back up, but drag along the court for a very brief moment.
As the ball strikes the surface of the court it also takes on a different shape upon impact because of the speed of which the ball travels.
Hawk-Eye's technology computes all of these minor details and produces a startling one billion equations per rally.
All of this amounts to an accuracy of within three millimetres.
These graphic reproductions of the rally can then be viewed by officials, fans, and viewers at home.
This technology became an official part of the adjudication process in 2006.
As Hawk-Eye has been enhanced and altered to be even more accurate it has crept in to most every major tournament in the sport.
Wimbledon first began using it in 2007.
Although controversial, this makes for a much tamer player as well as helps the officials in ways that their naked eye cannot.
We undoubtedly would have seen a much more tranquil side of John McEnroe had he been privy to the Hawk-Eye technology.
There is also a bit of strategy involved for the players as they are allowed only three incorrect challenges per set.
Should the set go to a tiebreaker, one additional challenge is allotted, although no challenges may be carried over from one set to another.
Furthermore, if a match is tied at six games, the counter is reset and both players are given three incorrect challenges in the next twelve games.
This is then repeated every twelve games should the match continue.
During the 2010 Wimbledon Championships, there were 260 challenges or 5.
65 challenges per match in the Men's Singles event.
Of the 260 challenges, 168 or 65% were overturned.
The benefits of the Hawk-Eye replay system are evident by the aforementioned statistics.
By correcting 92 errors, the level of fairness increased dramatically.
Since the entire world can see the replay moments after it happened, it appears beneficial that the umpires can as well.