The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the option to question particular decisions made by the official, following the protocol currently in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move comes just a year after the All England Club rolled out electronic line calling, which effectively ended the centuries-old role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine other decisions, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there is no limit on the number of challenges a competitor can ask for.
A Recent Example
An illustrative example occurred in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the official, but believed his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and ruled the player was responsible for hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further change at The Championships this year involves the addition of graphical cues on displays to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses situations where fans have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
