Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Players will gain the ability to contest particular decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the system already in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step arrives only a season following the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to review specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a player can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent example occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Australian 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 implemented at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships 2025 involves the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
