Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing replay technology.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships this year.
Players are granted the ability to challenge particular rulings from the official, echoing the practice already in place at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development comes just a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
A Recent Example
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
