The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review technology.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships this year.
Competitors will gain the ability to challenge specific rulings from the chair umpire, echoing the protocol already in place 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 for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development arrives only a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Potential interference end of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can ask for.
A Recent Example
A recent example occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further innovation at Wimbledon this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This solves instances where the crowd have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
