Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Competitors are granted the ability to question certain decisions from the official, mirroring the practice already in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step arrives only a season following the AELTC introduced ELC, which brought an end to the longstanding tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other situations, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult call for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
