The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the right to question specific decisions made by the chair umpire, following the system currently in use at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step arrives only a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined the player was responsible for interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been unsure if a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
