Wimbledon Embraces Video Review Technology for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing video review technology.
Video review technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Competitors are granted the right to question certain calls made by the chair umpire, following the practice already in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move arrives only a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the number of challenges a player can request.
A Recent Example
An illustrative example occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a video and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology aren't new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
