Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the option to question certain calls made by the chair umpire, echoing the practice already in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move arrives only a year after the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to review other decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a player can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent case occurred in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common 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 innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
