Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Competitors are granted the ability to contest particular rulings from the chair umpire, following the practice already in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development follows just a season following the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to review specific situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the number of reviews a competitor can request.
Case in Point
A recent example took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system 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 Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
