Wimbledon Embraces Video Replay Technology in 2025.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing replay technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Players will gain the ability to contest certain calls made by the chair umpire, following the protocol already in place at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This step follows just a year after the All England Club introduced ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of challenges a competitor can ask for.
Practical Application
An illustrative case occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his rival had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been uncertain whether a ball was out or in.
In other news, with precisely a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
