The tournament joins the American and Aussie Opens in implementing video review systems.
Replay systems will be launched at The Championships for the 2025 edition.
Players are granted the ability to contest certain calls made by the chair umpire, echoing the protocol currently in operation at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the remaining show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step follows just a year after the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the 147-year role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the umpire to review other decisions, such as:
- If a ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the number of challenges a competitor can initiate.
Practical Application
An illustrative example took place in Indian Wells recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but believed his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a video and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews aren't exclusive to major tournaments. It has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open since 2025.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour will have video reviews implemented at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another innovation at The Championships 2025 involves the addition of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where fans have occasionally been uncertain whether a ball was out or in.
Finally, with precisely a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have also announced an increase in daily capacity at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
