Video reviews to be introduced at Wimbledon

Video review technology will be introduced at Wimbledon for the first time this year.

Players will be allowed to challenge certain calls made by the chair umpire – as they are already able to do at both the US Open and the Australian Open.

The technology will be available on Centre Court and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.

It was only last year that the All England Club (AELTC) introduced electronic line calling (ELC), which ended the role played by line judges over the previous 147 years.

Players will not be able to challenge the accuracy of ELC, but will be able to ask the umpire to review certain decisions – such as whether a ball has bounced twice, or touched an opponent’s racquet or body on the way past them.

A review will also be allowed at the end of a point if a player feels his opponent may be guilty of hindrance.

Daniil Medvedev used the review system against Jack Draper in Indian Wells last week, after the British player briefly stretched his arms out wide during a rally to signal his belief that a Medvedev forehand was long.

Umpire Aurelie Tourte watched a replay on her tablet and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance – of making either an action or a noise to disturb an opponent – and awarded the Russian the point.

Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought Medvedev had “played the rules quite well” and did not believe his gesture had been enough to distract him.

The US Open has been using video reviews since 2023, and the Australian Open since 2025.

It is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour and by next season the men’s ATP Tour will have video reviews in place at all of its events.

Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the audio calls produced by ELC.

Spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was in or out – and at the Australian Open this year, the net posts flashed red to give the crowd a visual cue whenever a ball was out.