Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes will gain the ability to contest particular decisions made by the official, following the protocol currently in place at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step comes just a season following the AELTC implemented ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
A recent incident occurred in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
