Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the right to contest certain rulings made by the chair umpire, echoing the protocol already in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move comes just a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative example took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined the player was responsible for interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
