The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in employing video review technology.
Video review technology are set to arrive at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the right to contest specific rulings made by the official, echoing the protocol already in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This technology will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move comes just a year after the AELTC implemented ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person on the way past.
- Potential interference end of a rally.
Importantly, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative example took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled the player was responsible for interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Further Updates
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the Championships, organizers have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
