Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review systems will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the right to contest certain rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the system currently in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development comes just a year after the AELTC implemented ELC, which terminated the longstanding tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to review specific situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the number of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough 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, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
