Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Athletes will gain the option to challenge particular calls made by the official, following the system already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and Court One throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which terminated the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to re-examine other decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential interference end of a rally.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, 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 events.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
