Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the right to question particular rulings from the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol currently in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move follows just a year after the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine other decisions, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
