Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Video review systems will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the option to question certain calls made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a season following the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other situations, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can ask for.
A Recent Example
A recent incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 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 will have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
