Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Athletes will gain the ability to question certain decisions made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move comes just a season following the All England Club rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to review other situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of challenges a player can ask for.
Case in Point
A recent incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
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 all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where spectators have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
