The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors are granted the option to contest specific calls made by the chair umpire, echoing the practice currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step follows just a year after the AELTC introduced ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine other decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the amount of reviews a competitor can ask for.
Case in Point
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
