Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in employing replay systems.
Replay systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the ability to contest particular decisions made by the chair umpire, following the protocol already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move comes just a year after the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which terminated the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine other decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
