Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors are granted the right to contest certain calls from the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in use at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology will be operational 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 follows just a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding role 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, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the number of reviews a player can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent example took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a video and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon 2025 will be the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
