Wimbledon Embraces Video Review Technology This Season.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing video review technology.
Video review systems will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the right to challenge specific calls from the official, following the system currently in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move comes just a season following the AELTC introduced ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
A recent example took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships 2025 involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves instances where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.