Wimbledon Embraces Video Replay Technology for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the right to contest certain calls from the chair umpire, following the system currently in operation at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development arrives only a season following the AELTC rolled out ELC, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to review specific situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
A Recent Example
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the start of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
