🔗 Share this article Wimbledon Introduces Video Challenge System for the First Time. Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review technology. Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament. Players are granted the ability to question specific decisions from the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in operation at both the US Open and the Aussie major. The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles contests. This move follows just a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line judges. Scope of Challenges Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to review other decisions, including: Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced. Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past. Potential hindrance end of a point. Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can initiate. Case in Point An illustrative case took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper. The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively." Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev. Wider Implementation Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. It 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 video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments. Additional Innovations Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system. This solves instances where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a ball was out or in. Finally, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review technology. Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament. Players are granted the ability to question specific decisions from the chair umpire, following the protocol currently in operation at both the US Open and the Aussie major. The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles contests. This move follows just a season following the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the longstanding tradition of line judges. Scope of Challenges Players will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to review other decisions, including: Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced. Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or body on the way past. Potential hindrance end of a point. Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the number of challenges a player can initiate. Case in Point An illustrative case took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper. The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively." Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev. Wider Implementation Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. It 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 video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments. Additional Innovations Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system. This solves instances where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a ball was out or in. Finally, with exactly 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.