Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Video review systems will be launched at The Championships this year.
Competitors are granted the ability to question specific decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step comes just a year after the AELTC implemented ELC, which brought an end to 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 specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of reviews a player can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and ruled the player was guilty of interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
