Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Players will gain the option to contest certain rulings made by the official, mirroring the practice currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step comes just a year after the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the official to re-examine other situations, including:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
A Recent Example
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a video and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology are not new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
