Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Athletes will gain the option to question certain calls made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a season following the AELTC implemented ELC, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to review specific decisions, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the number of challenges a player can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative example took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews in place at all of its events.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
