Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Players are granted the right to question certain rulings from the chair umpire, echoing the protocol already in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move comes just a season following the AELTC rolled out ELC, which terminated the 147-year role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of reviews a player can ask for.
Case in Point
A recent incident took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at Wimbledon 2025 involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves instances where spectators have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
