Wimbledon Introduces Video Challenge System for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the US and Aussie Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay technology are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors are granted the right to contest specific calls from the official, mirroring the practice already in use at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development arrives only a season following the AELTC rolled out ELC, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line officials.
Reviewable Decisions
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review other decisions, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a player can request.
Case in Point
A recent example occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not exclusive to Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another change at The Championships 2025 will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
