Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Video review technology are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the right to question specific rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in use at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move follows just a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine specific situations, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Importantly, there is no cap on the amount of challenges a player can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
