Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review technology will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Athletes will gain the ability to contest specific calls made by the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine other decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential interference end of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
A recent case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted 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 the coming year the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
