Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing replay systems.
Replay systems will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the right to contest particular calls from the official, echoing the protocol already in operation at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step comes just a season following the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
A recent incident took place in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major 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 plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
