Wimbledon Embraces Video Review System for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Competitors are granted the right to contest certain decisions made by the chair umpire, mirroring the system already in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which terminated the centuries-old role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a player can ask for.
Practical Application
A recent example took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a video and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for Grand Slams. It has been in use at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
