Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Replay systems will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Competitors will gain the right to question certain calls made by the official, following the protocol already in operation at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move follows just a year after the AELTC introduced ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review specific situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a point.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can ask for.
A Recent Example
A recent case occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
