Wimbledon Introduces Video Replay System This Season.
Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review technology are set to arrive at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Competitors will gain the option to challenge certain rulings from the official, echoing the protocol currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move arrives only a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the US Open for two years 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 plans to have the system implemented at all of its events.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships 2025 involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves instances where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
