Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes will gain the right to contest specific decisions made by the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol already in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development arrives only a season following the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to review specific situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a player can request.
Case in Point
A recent case took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system in place at all of its events.
Other Changes
A further change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
