Wimbledon Adopts Video Challenge System for the First Time.
Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing replay systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Athletes will gain the option to challenge particular rulings made by the official, echoing the protocol currently in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development follows just a season following the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential hindrance end of a rally.
Notably, there is no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled the player was responsible for interference, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not new for major tournaments. It has been in use 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 the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships 2025 will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
