Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Video review technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors are granted the right to challenge particular rulings made by the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move arrives only a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which terminated the longstanding tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine other situations, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can ask for.
A Recent Example
A recent case occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a video and determined Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
