Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the option to challenge certain calls from the official, following the practice currently in operation at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This development follows just a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to review specific situations, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
A Recent Example
A recent example took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
