Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Competitors are granted the option to challenge specific decisions from the official, following the protocol already in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step arrives only a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can initiate.
A Recent Example
A recent example took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
