Wimbledon Introduces Video Replay System This Season.
The tournament joins the American and Australian Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Video review systems will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the option to question certain calls from the chair umpire, echoing the practice already in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation 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 step comes just a year after the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine other situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a player can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at all of its events.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships 2025 involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
