Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Athletes are granted the right to challenge particular decisions made by the official, mirroring the protocol currently in operation at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use 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 year after the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not new for Grand Slams. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another change at The Championships this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been unsure if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
