Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Athletes will gain the ability to contest specific decisions from the chair umpire, echoing the system already in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development comes just a season following the AELTC introduced ELC, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a player can ask for.
Practical Application
A recent example took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
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 implemented at all of its events.
Further Updates
A further innovation at Wimbledon 2025 involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where spectators have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
