Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Athletes are granted the ability to contest certain calls made by the chair umpire, mirroring the system currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step follows just a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a player can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where fans have occasionally been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely a century of days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
