Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the option to question specific calls from the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in use at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This development arrives only a season following the AELTC introduced ELC, which terminated the 147-year role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there will be no cap on the number of challenges a player can ask for.
Practical Application
A recent example took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon 2025 involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
