Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing video review systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at The Championships this year.
Athletes are granted the option to challenge particular rulings made by the chair umpire, following the practice already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined the player was responsible for interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships 2025 will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
