The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in employing replay systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes will gain the option to challenge specific calls made by the official, following the protocol already in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step follows just a season following the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential interference end of a point.
Importantly, there will be an unlimited number on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
A recent example occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the official, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined the player was guilty of interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. It has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where spectators have occasionally been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the start of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
