The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Video review systems will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Athletes will gain the ability to challenge specific rulings made by the official, mirroring the protocol currently in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development arrives only a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no cap on the amount of challenges a player can ask for.
Practical Application
A recent incident took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the official, but thought his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have the system in place at every one of its events.
Further Updates
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
