Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Video review systems will be launched at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Athletes will gain the ability to challenge specific rulings from the chair umpire, echoing the system 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 for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development comes just a year after the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
