Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems will be launched at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Athletes will gain the option to challenge specific rulings made by the chair umpire, echoing the protocol currently in use at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move comes just a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
