Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at The Championships this year.
Athletes are granted the option to question certain calls made by the official, mirroring the practice currently in place at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development arrives only a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which terminated the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the official to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
A recent example took place in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
