Wimbledon is cementing its commitment to technological advancement on the court, with Electronic Line Calling (ELC) remaining a fixture and a new video review system making its debut at this year's Championships. ELC, which saw the departure of human line judges in 2025 after 147 years, aims to provide greater accuracy through its sophisticated camera and sensor network.
The ELC system operates using 18 cameras strategically placed around the court, meticulously tracking the ball's movement and trajectory in real-time. This data is then processed by computers to generate a 3D image of the ball's landing spot. An automated voice promptly announces calls like "out!", "fault!", or "foot fault" within a tenth of a second. This year, visual indicators have also been added to scoreboards to address fan complaints about difficulty in discerning calls without a human line judge.
Despite the All England Club's confidence in ELC, its implementation has not been without controversy. Last year, the system was accidentally deactivated during a match due to "human error," resulting in three missed calls in a single game. Further issues arose during Wimbledon qualifying at Roehampton, where a power outage, possibly linked to extreme heat, suspended play for an hour. British players, including Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper, have expressed reservations, with Raducanu citing "dodgy" calls and Draper questioning its 100 per cent accuracy.
In a significant development for the 2026 Championships, Wimbledon has also introduced video review technology for the first time. This 'VAR'-style system allows players to challenge umpire calls on incidents such as a double bounce or a net touch. The All England Club confirmed its availability on the six main show courts, including Centre Court and No 1 Court. This addition provides a crucial safeguard, as the umpire can request a replay to assist in determining a call should the ELC system encounter a failure.
The adoption of ELC aligns Wimbledon with other major tournaments, as the Australian Open replaced line judges in 2021 and the US Open followed in 2022. Most ATP and WTA Tour events have also utilised ELC since 2025. The French Open now stands as the sole Grand Slam still employing human line judges, a stance reinforced by a recent controversial incident where an ELC image contradicted a human official's call, leading tournament director Amelie Mauresmo to express doubts about the system's absolute reliability ahead of a planned review in 2027.