Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Athletes will gain the right to question specific rulings made by the official, mirroring the system currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move comes just a season following the AELTC implemented ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to review other situations, including:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
A recent case took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough call for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and determined Draper was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
