Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review technology are set to arrive at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the ability to contest specific decisions from the official, following the system currently in use at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology will be operational on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move follows just a year after the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined Draper was responsible for interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
