Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Players will gain the option to challenge specific rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the system currently in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step arrives only a year after the AELTC introduced ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative case occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
