The tournament joins the American and Australian Opens in employing replay systems.
Replay technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Players will gain the right to contest particular decisions made by the chair umpire, echoing the system currently in place at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move follows just a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which terminated the 147-year role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology are not exclusive to 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 ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at all of its events.
Further Updates
A further change at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
