Wimbledon Embraces Video Replay Technology for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay technology are set to arrive at The Championships this year.
Athletes are granted the right to challenge particular decisions made by the chair umpire, following the protocol already in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and Court One throughout the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development arrives only a year after the All England Club introduced ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to review specific situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of reviews a player can request.
Practical Application
A recent example took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough call for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and determined Draper was responsible for interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships 2025 involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves instances where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
