Wimbledon Embraces Video Challenge Technology for the First Time.
The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in employing replay technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Players will gain the ability to contest specific calls made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move follows just a season following the All England Club rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to review specific decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can ask for.
Practical Application
A recent incident occurred in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another change at The Championships 2025 will be the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
