Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Competitors are granted the right to contest certain decisions made by the chair umpire, echoing the practice currently in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development arrives only a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to review other decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where fans have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
