Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay technology will be launched at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Players will gain the ability to contest certain decisions made by the official, echoing the system already in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step comes just a season following the All England Club introduced ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to review other situations, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
A Recent Example
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a video and ruled the player was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its events.
Further Updates
Another change at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days remaining until the start of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
