Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Players are granted the right to contest particular calls from the official, mirroring the system currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step comes just a season following the AELTC introduced ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a player can request.
A Recent Example
A recent incident took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology are not new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open 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 will have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure if a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
