Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Competitors will gain the right to challenge certain decisions from the official, mirroring the system currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the official to re-examine other situations, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no cap on the amount of challenges a player can initiate.
Case in Point
A recent incident occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
