Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Video review systems will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes will gain the ability to contest certain calls from the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in use at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This development arrives only a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the umpire to review specific decisions, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and determined Draper was responsible for interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the start of the Championships, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
