Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Athletes are granted the right to question specific decisions made by the official, mirroring the practice already in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step arrives only a year after the All England Club introduced ELC, which terminated the 147-year role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to review other situations, including:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further change at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves instances where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
