Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the right to contest particular decisions made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in use at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step arrives only a season following the AELTC introduced ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no cap on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system in place at every one of its events.
Further Updates
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have sometimes been unsure if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
