Wimbledon Adopts Video Challenge Technology for the First Time.
The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review systems will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors are granted the right to challenge certain decisions made by the official, following the protocol currently in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible 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 follows just a year after the AELTC implemented ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to review specific situations, including:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a player can initiate.
A Recent Example
A recent incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled the player was guilty of interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves situations where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
