Wimbledon Adopts Video Review Technology for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing replay technology.
Replay technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Players are granted the option to contest certain calls from the official, following the system already in use at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development follows just a season following the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the number of reviews a player can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire watched a video and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where spectators have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
