Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Athletes are granted the ability to contest particular decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the system already in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move follows just a season following the AELTC implemented ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine other situations, including:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a player can request.
Case in Point
A recent case took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system in place at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon 2025 involves the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves instances where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
