The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Players will gain the ability to contest specific decisions made by the official, mirroring the protocol currently in place at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step comes just a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to review specific situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative example took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system in place at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
