Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the option to contest specific decisions made by the chair umpire, echoing the practice already in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development arrives only a year after the AELTC introduced ELC, which terminated the longstanding tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to challenge the call of the ELC system, but they can request the official to review specific decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative case took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships 2025 involves the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
