Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the ability to contest specific calls made by the chair umpire, echoing the system currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development follows just a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to review other decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
A recent example occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
