Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the option to question certain decisions from the official, following the protocol currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development comes just a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to re-examine other situations, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves instances where spectators have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
