Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the right to challenge certain decisions made by the official, mirroring the practice currently in operation at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move comes just a season following the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players cannot to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to re-examine other decisions, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and determined the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where fans have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
