The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes will gain the option to question particular decisions from the official, mirroring the system currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move follows just a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which terminated the 147-year role of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to review specific situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential interference end of a point.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Case in Point
A recent incident took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a video and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews in place at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 involves the addition of graphical cues on displays to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days to go until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
