Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the right to contest specific calls from the chair umpire, following the system already in place at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move follows just a season following the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a player can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled the player was responsible for interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its events.
Further Updates
Another change at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
