Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the ability to question specific decisions from the chair umpire, following the system currently in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step arrives only a season following the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
A recent incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined the player was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
