Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes will gain the ability to contest certain decisions made by the chair umpire, following the practice currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology will be operational on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step follows just a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the official to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined the player was guilty of interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships 2025 involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
