Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay technology.
Video review technology will be launched at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Competitors will gain the right to contest specific calls from the official, mirroring the system currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step comes just a season following the AELTC rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted 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 the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where spectators have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
