Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors are granted the option to challenge specific calls made by the chair umpire, following the system already in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development arrives only a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no cap on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
An illustrative example took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further innovation at The Championships 2025 will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
