Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay technology are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the option to challenge particular decisions made by the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One throughout the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step arrives only a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
A recent example took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major since 2023 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 video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
