The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes will gain the option to question certain decisions made by the official, echoing the system currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development arrives only a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible interference end of a point.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative case occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a video and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the point to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships 2025 involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have also announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
