Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing video review technology.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors are granted the option to challenge certain decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step follows just a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of challenges a player can request.
A Recent Example
A recent incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further change at The Championships this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have occasionally been uncertain 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 also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
