The tournament joins the US and Aussie Opens in implementing replay technology.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon this year.
Players are granted the ability to challenge specific decisions from the official, mirroring the system already in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This development arrives only a season following the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the 147-year role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to re-examine specific situations, including:
- Whether a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball made contact with an opponent's racquet or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Notably, there will be no cap on the number of challenges a player can request.
Practical Application
A recent incident took place in Indian Wells last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and determined the player was guilty of interference, granting the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't exclusive to Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the American major for two years and the Australian Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the ATP circuit will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further change at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves situations where spectators have occasionally been unsure whether a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the Championships, the AELTC have further announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
