Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Athletes are granted the ability to challenge specific rulings from the official, following the system currently in place at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a year after the AELTC introduced ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a video and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. It was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another change at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
