Wimbledon Embraces Video Replay Technology for the First Time.
The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the option to challenge particular rulings made by the chair umpire, echoing the practice currently in use at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move comes just a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the official to review specific situations, including:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the amount of challenges a player can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative example took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled the player was guilty of interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have the system in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
