Wimbledon Adopts Video Review Technology for the First Time.
The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the option to challenge particular calls from the official, following the protocol currently in operation at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another innovation at Wimbledon 2025 will be the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
