Wimbledon Embraces Video Challenge Technology in 2025.
The tournament joins the American and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review systems will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Players are granted the ability to question specific calls from the official, following the system already in use at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move arrives only a year after the All England Club rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the longstanding tradition of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the official to review other situations, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no cap on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally 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 Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another innovation at The Championships 2025 will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where spectators have occasionally been uncertain if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
