Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay technology will be launched at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Competitors will gain the right to contest particular rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol already in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step comes just a year after the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which terminated the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to re-examine other situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent case took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined Draper was responsible for interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not new for Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
