Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Competitors will gain the ability to question specific decisions made by the official, mirroring the practice currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development follows just a season following the AELTC rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review specific decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a player can request.
Practical Application
A recent incident took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another change at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
