Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the option to question specific decisions made by the official, echoing the protocol currently 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 remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move comes just a season following the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to review specific situations, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
A recent example occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where spectators have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
