Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing replay technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the right to challenge particular decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the practice already in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move arrives only a season following the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
A recent case took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 involves the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
