Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing video review systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes will gain the ability to challenge specific decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the system already in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology will be operational on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development comes just a year after the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire watched a video and determined Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where spectators have occasionally been unsure if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
