Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in employing replay technology.
Replay systems will make its debut at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Players will gain the ability to question specific decisions from the official, echoing the system already in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move comes just a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review specific situations, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the number of challenges a player can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled the player was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
