Wimbledon Introduces Video Review Technology for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the option to contest particular rulings from the official, mirroring the system currently in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step arrives only a season following the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of challenges a player can request.
Case in Point
A recent example occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled the player was guilty of interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
