Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Athletes will gain the ability to challenge particular calls from the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development follows just a year after the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which terminated the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the number of challenges a player can request.
Case in Point
A recent incident took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
