Wimbledon Introduces Video Replay Technology for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Competitors will gain the right to question specific decisions made by the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This development arrives only a season following the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can ask for the official to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Notably, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where spectators have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
