Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Players will gain the option to contest certain calls from the chair umpire, mirroring the system currently in operation at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move arrives only a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the official to re-examine other decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
Case in Point
A recent case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a video and determined Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology are not exclusive to Grand Slams. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at every one 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 instances where spectators have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
