Wimbledon Introduces Video Review System for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Athletes are granted the right to contest certain calls made by the official, following the practice currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step comes just a season following the All England Club rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to re-examine specific situations, including:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
A recent case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a video and determined Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another change at The Championships 2025 involves the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
