Wimbledon Introduces Video Challenge Technology This Season.
Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing video review technology.
Replay systems will make its debut at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Players will gain the option to question specific rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the system already in place at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move follows just a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the official to review other decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no limit on the number of reviews a player can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at all of its events.
Further Updates
A further innovation at Wimbledon 2025 will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
