Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the option to question specific rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the system already in use at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and Court One throughout the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development follows just a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential interference end of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a player can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative case took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further change at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 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.
