The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in employing video review technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon for the 2025 edition.
Players are granted the option to question particular decisions made by the official, following the system currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step arrives only a year after the AELTC implemented ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can request the official to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the amount of reviews a player can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined the player was guilty of interference, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
