Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships this year.
Athletes will gain the right to question particular decisions made by the chair umpire, echoing the system currently in use at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move arrives only a year after the AELTC introduced ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to review other situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined Draper was responsible for interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
