The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review systems.
Video review technology will be launched at The Championships this year.
Players will gain the right to contest certain rulings made by the official, echoing the system already in operation at each of the US Open and the Aussie major.
The new system will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move arrives only a year after the AELTC introduced ELC, which effectively ended the longstanding role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Importantly, there is no limit on the amount of reviews a competitor can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative case took place in a recent tournament last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire watched a replay and determined the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
This technology are not new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, 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 tournaments.
Additional Innovations
A further change at The Championships 2025 involves the addition of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been unsure if a shot was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
