Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes will gain the ability to contest particular calls made by the official, following the protocol already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step arrives only a season following the AELTC rolled out ELC, which terminated the 147-year role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine other situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system in place at all of its events.
Further Updates
A further change at The Championships 2025 will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
