Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the option to question particular calls from the chair umpire, following the system currently in operation at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move arrives only a year after the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to review specific situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential interference end of a point.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
A further change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
