Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay technology are set to arrive at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Players are granted the option to contest certain calls made by the official, echoing the protocol currently in place at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This development comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative case occurred in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon 2025 involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where spectators have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
