Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors are granted the option to challenge particular calls from the chair umpire, mirroring the practice already in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development follows just a year after the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of reviews a player can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative example took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use 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 the coming year the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 involves the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
