The tournament joins the American and Australian Opens in implementing replay technology.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the option to challenge particular rulings made by the official, mirroring the protocol already in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This development follows just a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to review other situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Potential interference end of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of challenges a player can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident took place in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a replay and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour will have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Further Updates
A further innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the ELC system.
This solves situations where the crowd have occasionally been unsure if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
