Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at The Championships this year.
Competitors are granted the right to challenge certain rulings made by the official, mirroring the practice currently in use at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This development follows just a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine other decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of challenges a competitor can ask for.
A Recent Example
A recent case occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire watched a video and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not new for Grand Slams. It was adopted 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 will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves instances where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
