Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the option to contest certain decisions made by the official, mirroring the practice already in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step follows just a season following the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine specific situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the number of reviews a player can initiate.
Case in Point
A recent case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at Wimbledon 2025 will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where spectators 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 Championships, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
