Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the right to challenge particular rulings from the chair umpire, following the system currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step comes just a year after the AELTC implemented ELC, which terminated the longstanding tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to review other situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no cap on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Further Updates
A further change at The Championships 2025 will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the Championships, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
