MacCAM
Encyclopedia
MacCAM is a system of slow-motion cameras developed by FastCAM Replay LLC and DEL Imaging Systems LLC used during Tennis
matches to replay close or controversial line calls. The system is named after John McEnroe
, who was infamous for contesting umpire calls. CBS
was the first network to use the MacCam widely, as John McEnroe was one of their tennis analysts.
' controversial quarterfinal loss to Jennifer Capriati
, several poor calls were contested by Williams. Television replays demonstrated that there were actually several crucial calls that were obviously erroneous. Though the calls themselves were not reversed, the chair umpire Mariana Alves
was dismissed from the tournament.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
matches to replay close or controversial line calls. The system is named after John McEnroe
John McEnroe
John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title...
, who was infamous for contesting umpire calls. CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
was the first network to use the MacCam widely, as John McEnroe was one of their tennis analysts.
History
The MacCam was used at the 2004 U.S. Open to demonstrate several poor calls by chair umpires. In Serena WilliamsSerena Williams
Serena Jameka Williams is an American professional tennis player and a former world no. 1. The Women's Tennis Association has ranked her world no. 1 in singles on five separate occasions. She became the world no. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002 and regained this ranking for the fifth time on...
' controversial quarterfinal loss to Jennifer Capriati
Jennifer Capriati
Jennifer Marie Capriati is a former world number one ranked professional tennis player, and the winner of three women's singles championships in Grand Slam tournaments. Capriati made her professional debut in 1990 at the age of 14 when she reached the finals of the hard court tournament in Boca...
, several poor calls were contested by Williams. Television replays demonstrated that there were actually several crucial calls that were obviously erroneous. Though the calls themselves were not reversed, the chair umpire Mariana Alves
Mariana Alves
Mariana Alves is a Portuguese Tennis Chair Umpire. She is one of only a few women who currently hold a Gold Badge in Chair Umpiring from the International Tennis Federation; others include Eva Asderaki , Lynn Welch , Kerrilyn Cramer and Alison Lang .- Career :In the 2004 US Open quarterfinal...
was dismissed from the tournament.
Details
The MacCAM system has since been replaced at the US Open as well as other supporting tournaments with the ShotSpot system. In the US Open it was available only where the venue has necessary equipment (Arthur Ashe stadium).Trivia
- Though trademarkTrademarkA trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
ed by FastCAM Replay, the phrase "Mac Cam" is sometimes used genericallyGenericized trademarkA genericized trademark is a trademark or brand name that has become the colloquial or generic description for, or synonymous with, a general class of product or service, rather than as an indicator of source or affiliation as intended by the trademark's holder...
by American media to refer to any manual or automated line monitoring, ball tracking or replay system, including Hawk-EyeHawk-EyeHawk-Eye is a complex computer system used in cricket, tennis and other sports to visually track the trajectory of the ball and display a record of its most statistically likely path as a moving image. In cricket and tennis, it is now part of the adjudication process. It was developed by engineers...
, CyclopsCyclops (computer system)Cyclops is a computer system conceived by British inventor Bill Carlton of Malta, which is used on the ATP and WTA professional tennis tours as an electronic line judge to help determine whether a serve is in or out....
, PointTrackerPointTrackerPointTracker, created by IBM, is an application featured in Grand Slam tennis tournaments that presents an animated 3D view of each shot played in a singles match....
and Auto-Ref.