Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the option to challenge certain rulings made by the chair umpire, following the protocol already in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development follows just a year after the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the official to review other decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
