Wimbledon Embraces Video Challenge Technology This Season.
The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review systems.
Video review technology are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Players will gain the ability to question particular calls made by the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development comes just a year after the AELTC rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the official to review specific decisions, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the number of reviews a player can request.
A Recent Example
A recent incident took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships 2025 will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where spectators have sometimes been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
