Wimbledon Embraces Video Challenge Technology for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review technology will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes are granted the ability to question specific rulings from the official, following the protocol currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step follows just a season following the AELTC implemented ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to review other situations, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can ask for.
A Recent Example
An illustrative case took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 involves the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
