The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Competitors will gain the ability to question particular rulings made by the chair umpire, echoing the protocol currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development comes just a year after the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to re-examine specific situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
A recent incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough call for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure if a ball was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
