Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing replay systems.
Replay technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the right to contest specific rulings from the official, following the system currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step follows just a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can ask for.
A Recent Example
A recent case occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a video and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been unsure if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the start of the Championships, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
