Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Players are granted the right to question particular calls made by the official, echoing the practice already in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step comes just a year after the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine specific situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative case occurred in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system in place at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another change at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
