Wimbledon Introduces Video Replay System for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay systems.
Replay technology will be launched at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the ability to contest specific decisions from the official, echoing the protocol currently in place at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and Court One throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move comes just a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which terminated the longstanding tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there will be no cap on the number of challenges a competitor can ask for.
A Recent Example
An illustrative example occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at The Championships 2025 will be the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
