Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Competitors will gain the ability to challenge specific calls from the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in use at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step comes just a season following the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the official to review specific situations, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined the player was guilty of interference, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to 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 WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
