Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Athletes are granted the option to challenge certain decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol already in place at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step comes just a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine specific situations, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a player can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't 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 increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where spectators have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
