Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Replay technology will be launched at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Athletes are granted the option to challenge particular rulings made by the official, following the protocol currently in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step arrives only a year after the AELTC implemented ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine other decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its events.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
