Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Replay systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the option to contest particular calls from the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development comes just a season following the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to re-examine other decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
A recent incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled the player was responsible for interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. It 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 women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its events.
Further Updates
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 will be the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves situations where fans have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
