Wimbledon Adopts Video Replay Technology in 2025.
Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors are granted the right to question specific decisions made by the official, mirroring the practice currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step comes just a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative case occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
