Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at The Championships this year.
Players will gain the ability to contest certain decisions from the official, mirroring the protocol already in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step follows just a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which terminated the longstanding role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review other decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and determined Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain whether a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.