Wimbledon Introduces Video Challenge Technology This Season.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the right to contest specific calls made by the chair umpire, following the protocol already in use at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move arrives only a season following the AELTC introduced ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to review other situations, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Case in Point
A recent case took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system in place at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at Wimbledon 2025 will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been unsure if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
