Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the option to contest specific calls made by the official, following the practice already in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step arrives only a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can request.
Practical Application
A recent case occurred in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Other Changes
Another change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where fans have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
