Wimbledon Embraces Video Review System for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in employing replay technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Competitors are granted the option to challenge particular calls from the chair umpire, following the system already in operation at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move comes just a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to review other decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of reviews a player can ask for.
A Recent Example
A recent case took place in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the official, but thought his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon 2025 involves the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
