Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the ability to challenge specific calls from the chair umpire, echoing the protocol already in operation at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the 147-year role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a player can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative example occurred in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a video and ruled the player was guilty of interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves situations where fans have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
