The tournament joins the US and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay systems will make its debut at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Competitors are granted the option to contest certain rulings from the chair umpire, echoing the system currently in place at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation will be operational on the main stadium and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the remaining featured courts when they are staging singles matches.
This move arrives only a year after the AELTC implemented electronic line calling, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to dispute the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the official to review other situations, 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.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a player can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative incident occurred in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev initiated the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper conceded it was a tough situation for the umpire, but thought his opponent had "used the regulations effectively."
The umpire viewed a video and determined the player was guilty of interference, awarding the point to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't new for major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major 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 plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
A further innovation at The Championships 2025 will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where spectators have sometimes been unsure whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with precisely 100 days to go until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
