Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Competitors will gain the right to contest certain rulings made by the official, mirroring the system already in operation at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step comes just a year after the All England Club introduced ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of challenges a competitor can ask for.
Practical Application
A recent incident occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled the player was guilty of interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at all of its events.
Further Updates
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
