Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the option to challenge certain calls from the chair umpire, following the practice currently in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step comes just a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which terminated the 147-year role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other situations, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Importantly, there is no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled the player was guilty of interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system in place at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
