The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in employing replay systems.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Athletes will gain the option to question certain rulings made by the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This step follows just a season following the All England Club rolled out ELC, which terminated the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to challenge the call of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
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 implemented at every one of its events.
Other Changes
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
