Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the right to contest specific rulings made by the official, following the system currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step arrives only a year after the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can ask for.
A Recent Example
A recent example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its events.
Other Changes
A further change at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
