Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the ability to challenge specific rulings from the chair umpire, mirroring the practice already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move arrives only a season following the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to re-examine other situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative case took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was responsible for interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at all of its events.
Further Updates
Another change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where spectators have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
