Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Players are granted the option to challenge particular calls made by the official, following the practice already in operation at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step arrives only a season following the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the longstanding tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- 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 an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative example took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a ball was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
