Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Players are granted the option to challenge certain rulings made by the official, echoing the system currently in operation at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the official to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews in place at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with precisely a century of days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
