The tournament joins the American and Australian Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Competitors will gain the ability to question certain rulings made by the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in operation at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step arrives only a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can request the official to review specific decisions, including:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential interference end of a rally.
Notably, there will be no cap on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
Case in Point
A recent example took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. It 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 the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
