Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay systems will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the right to contest specific rulings from the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol currently in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step follows just a season following the AELTC introduced ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a player can request.
A Recent Example
A recent example occurred in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined the player was responsible for interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology 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 the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
