The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in implementing video review technology.
Video review systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the right to challenge particular decisions from the chair umpire, mirroring the protocol already in place at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step comes just a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old role of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors cannot to dispute the call of the ELC system, but they can ask for the umpire to re-examine other decisions, including:
- If a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot touched an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be an unlimited number on the number of challenges a competitor can request.
A Recent Example
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
Draper conceded it was a difficult situation for the official, but believed his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire watched a video and ruled Draper was responsible for hindrance, awarding the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. It was adopted 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 ATP circuit will have the system in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships 2025 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 sometimes been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have further announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
