Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Replay systems will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the option to contest specific rulings from the official, following the system currently in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a player can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and determined Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
