Wimbledon Introduces Video Challenge System for the First Time.
The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Video review systems are set to arrive at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Competitors are granted the option to question particular rulings from the chair umpire, following the practice already in place at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This development arrives only a year after the AELTC implemented ELC, which terminated the centuries-old role of line judges.
Reviewable Decisions
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to request the official to review other decisions, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of reviews a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
A recent example occurred in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire watched a video and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, granting the point to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the WTA circuit, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at The Championships 2025 will be the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where spectators have sometimes been unsure if a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, organizers have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
