Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes will gain the right to question particular decisions made by the official, following the system already in place at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move comes just a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
A recent case occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled the player was guilty of interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. 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 video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships 2025 involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where spectators have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
