Wimbledon Adopts Video Replay System for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Replay systems will be launched at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes are granted the option to question particular decisions from the official, mirroring the practice already in operation at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move follows just a season following the AELTC introduced ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot made contact with an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential interference end of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
A recent example took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player used the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
