The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Video review technology will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Athletes are granted the ability to question certain rulings from the chair umpire, echoing the practice already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be operational 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 contests.
This development arrives only a season following the AELTC rolled out ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine other situations, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a player can initiate.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the official, but thought his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and ruled the player was guilty of interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology are not new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted 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 plans to have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly 100 days remaining until the start of the tournament, organizers have also revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
