Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the ability to contest specific rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step comes just a season following the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review specific situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential interference end of a point.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent case occurred in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
