Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes are granted the ability to contest certain rulings from the official, mirroring the system already in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development comes just a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent case took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and determined the player was responsible for interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls 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 to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
