The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Replay technology are set to arrive at The Championships this year.
Athletes are granted the ability to challenge particular calls from the official, echoing the protocol currently in use at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move follows just a year after the All England Club implemented electronic line calling, which effectively ended the 147-year tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors cannot to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to review other decisions, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative example occurred in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not new for Grand Slams. It has been in use at the US Open since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have also revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
