Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing replay technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at The Championships this year.
Players will gain the option to challenge specific decisions from the chair umpire, echoing the practice currently in use at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One throughout the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development follows just a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative example took place in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
