Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Players will gain the ability to question certain calls from the chair umpire, following the practice already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step comes just a season following the AELTC implemented ELC, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative case took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the official, but believed 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 Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where spectators have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
