Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the ability to challenge certain decisions from the official, following the protocol already in operation at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One throughout the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move follows just a year after the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the 147-year role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the official to review other decisions, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
An illustrative case occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the official, but thought his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
