Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing video review technology.
Video review systems will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Players will gain the ability to contest specific decisions from the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move follows just a season following the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to review other decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Potential interference end of a rally.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and determined Draper was responsible for interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have occasionally been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
