Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay systems.
Video review systems will be launched at The Championships this year.
Competitors are granted the option to question certain decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in operation at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step comes just a year after the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to review specific situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
A Recent Example
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a video and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another change at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the start of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
