Wimbledon Adopts Video Replay Technology for the First Time.
The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Video review technology will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the option to challenge certain decisions from the official, following the practice already in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move comes just a year after the All England Club introduced ELC, which terminated the centuries-old role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
A recent case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a video and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
