Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Replay systems will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the option to challenge certain calls from the official, echoing the system currently in use at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step arrives only a season following the AELTC implemented ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can request the official to re-examine other situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
Practical Application
A recent example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire watched a video and determined the player was guilty of interference, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for Grand Slams. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system in place at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further change at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain whether a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
