Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the ability to contest specific decisions made by the chair umpire, following the system currently in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development follows just a year after the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships 2025 involves the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
