Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Competitors will gain the ability to question specific calls made by the official, following the protocol already in operation at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step arrives only a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine other decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative case occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further innovation at The Championships 2025 will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
