The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in employing replay systems.
Replay systems will make its debut at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Competitors will gain the ability to question certain rulings from the chair umpire, mirroring the system already in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step follows just a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
Case in Point
A recent incident took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and determined the player was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology aren't exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Further Updates
A further change at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves situations where fans have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
