Wimbledon Adopts Video Challenge System in 2025.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the option to question particular calls from the official, echoing the practice currently in operation at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development follows just a year after the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to review specific situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
