Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Players are granted the option to question certain rulings from the chair umpire, mirroring the practice currently in operation at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step arrives only a year after the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to review specific situations, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to 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 the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the Championships, organizers have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
