Wimbledon Adopts Video Challenge System for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the right to question certain decisions made by the chair umpire, mirroring 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 tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move comes just a season following the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine other decisions, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential interference end of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
A further innovation at Wimbledon 2025 will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure if a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
