Wimbledon Introduces Video Review Technology for the First Time.
The tournament joins the American and Australian Opens in implementing replay systems.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the option to contest particular rulings from the official, following the practice currently in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology will be operational on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step follows just a season following the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
Case in Point
A recent case took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't new for 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 next season the men's ATP Tour will have the system in place at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another change at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
