Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Players will gain the option to contest specific rulings from the chair umpire, mirroring the system already in use at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step follows just a season following the AELTC rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can ask for.
Case in Point
A recent example took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another change at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where fans have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
