Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay technology are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the right to challenge certain calls made by the official, following the protocol currently in operation at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move follows just a year after the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review specific situations, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative example occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have the system in place at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves instances where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
