Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Players are granted the ability to challenge specific decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move comes just a season following the All England Club rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the official to re-examine other situations, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative example occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
