Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the ability to question certain calls made by the official, following the protocol currently in place at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology will be operational on Centre Court and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development follows just a year after the AELTC introduced ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to review specific decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of challenges a competitor can ask for.
A Recent Example
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a video and determined the player was responsible for interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not new for Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Further Updates
A further change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
