Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Competitors will gain the right to contest particular calls made by the chair umpire, following the practice already in use at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step follows just a season following the All England Club introduced ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the official to review other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at all of its events.
Further Updates
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where fans have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
