Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing replay systems.
Replay systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the ability to contest particular calls from the official, mirroring the protocol already in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to review specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a player can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and ruled Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open 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 ATP circuit will have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another change at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves instances where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
