The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the option to challenge particular decisions from the official, mirroring the protocol currently in operation at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development follows just a season following the All England Club introduced ELC, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to review specific situations, including:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a player can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the official, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
