Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the ability to contest particular rulings from the chair umpire, echoing the protocol already in place at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move comes just a season following the All England Club introduced ELC, which terminated the longstanding role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough call for the official, but thought his opponent 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 aren't new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Aussie 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 plans to have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
