Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the option to contest certain rulings made by the official, echoing the protocol currently in use at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This development arrives only a season following the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to review other decisions, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough call for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
