Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems will be launched at The Championships this year.
Competitors are granted the option to challenge certain calls from the chair umpire, echoing the protocol currently in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step arrives only a year after the AELTC introduced ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to review other decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a player can initiate.
A Recent Example
A recent incident took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire watched a video and determined Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further change at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
