Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay technology are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the ability to question certain decisions made by the chair umpire, following the system already 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 Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step follows just a year after the All England Club introduced ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a player can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships 2025 will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
