The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in employing replay technology.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the option to contest certain calls made by the official, echoing the practice currently in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system will be operational on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development follows just a season following the AELTC introduced electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of challenges a player can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative incident occurred in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at Wimbledon 2025 involves the addition of graphical cues on displays to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have occasionally been uncertain if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have also revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
