Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay systems will make its debut at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Players will gain the option to contest particular decisions made by the official, mirroring the practice currently in operation at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use 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 step follows just a season following the All England Club introduced ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of reviews a player can initiate.
Case in Point
A recent example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, 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 all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
