Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the option to challenge specific rulings from the chair umpire, echoing the system already in operation at each of 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 featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step follows just a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other situations, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
