Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Athletes are granted the right to question particular decisions made by the chair umpire, following the system already in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move comes just a season following the AELTC rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine other decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another change at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.