Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Competitors will gain the right to contest particular rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice already in operation at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible 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 move arrives only a year after the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a player can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted 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 ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further change at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
