The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes are granted the right to question certain calls from the chair umpire, following the system currently in use at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and Court One throughout the Championships and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move comes just a season following the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding tradition of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review specific decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the number of reviews a player can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
