The 2026 USTA Friend at Court was released earlier this month. As is typically the case, the updates are modest, and the core rules of tennis remain largely unchanged. However, the rulebook includes a handful of small clarifications and administrative updates that are worth examining more closely. Over the next several posts, we are pausing our sequential exploration of The Code to take a closer look at what actually changed in USTA tennis for 2026.
The subject of electronic line calling comes up often in my tennis conversations. That includes rampant speculation about whether it will ever be available to recreational players. My outlook tends to surprise people. I think it is coming very soon. I would not be shocked to see electronic line calling installed at most professionally run tennis facilities within the next five to ten years. The technology is becoming cheaper, the infrastructure requirements are shrinking, and the benefits are obvious. Additionally, players really want it.
The 2026 edition of the Friend at Court is evidence that the USTA is already preparing for that imminent timeline. Several updates to this year’s rulebook establish the foundation of a formal regulatory framework for electronic line calling in USTA competition, which will eventually apply to all levels of play.
To be clear, electronic line calling is not new to tennis. Professional tournaments have used electronic review systems for years, and fully automated line calling has already replaced human line judges at many events. What is new is how the technology is treated in the rulebook. The 2026 edition of the Friend at Court introduces a dedicated section governing electronic line calling and adds several supporting provisions that formally integrate the technology into USTA competition procedures.
The most significant change is the addition of Regulation III.C, which creates a comprehensive regulatory framework for Electronic Line Calling, often abbreviated as ELC. This section outlines how electronic systems may be used in USTA sanctioned events, identifies the types of systems that may be approved, and establishes procedures for electronic reviews. Prior editions of the Friend at Court referenced electronic officiating only indirectly. The 2026 rulebook is the first to establish a regulatory structure for the technology.
Players who have the opportunity to compete using electronic line calling should take the time to read through the procedures outlined in the rulebook. Most tennis players have a general sense of how electronic review works from watching professional matches. However, the USTA regulations also address how the technology functions in matches where players are responsible for making their own line calls. Those procedures differ in several important ways from what viewers typically see on television. Anyone entering an event that uses electronic line calling would be well served to understand how reviews are requested, when a review opportunity is lost, and how the system interacts with player officiating.
Another important component of the new regulation involves system accreditation. The USTA does not independently certify electronic line calling systems. Instead, that falls under the International Tennis Federation’s certification framework. Regulation III.C requires that any system used in USTA sanctioned play must be approved through the ITF process. The USTA then publishes a list of eligible systems that tournament organizers may deploy. That list is already available on the USTA website and will serve as the reference point for tournament directors considering installing electronic line-calling technology.
A related change appears elsewhere in the Friend at Court. Under Regulation I.H.2, tournaments must now disclose whether electronic line calling will be used and, if so, how many courts will be equipped with the system. This requirement promotes transparency for players entering events. A player who expects access to electronic review will now know in advance whether the tournament will offer it and how widely the technology will be deployed across the venue.
The new Regulation III.C also contains procedural safeguards designed to prevent electronic review from becoming a tool for gamesmanship. Players must request a review immediately after the disputed shot. A player may return the ball once, but if play continues beyond that point, the opportunity to request a review is lost. This requirement mirrors an underlying principle found throughout the rules of tennis: decisions must be made immediately. Players are not permitted to wait and see how a point unfolds before deciding whether to challenge a call.
Another subtle but important change appears in the glossary. The 2026 edition of Friend at Court now includes a formal definition of Electronic Line Calling (ELC). Rulebooks rely heavily on defined terminology, and the appearance of a term in the glossary signals that it has become part of the sport’s official vocabulary. In this case, the glossary distinguishes between “Live” Electronic Line Calling, in which the system makes calls automatically during play, and Electronic “Review” systems, which allow players to challenge line calls and request a replay determination.
These changes represent a meaningful step in the evolution of tennis officiating. The technology continues to improve, and the rulebook is positioning the USTA for its widespread use. Electronic line calling can no longer be regarded as the exclusive privilege of professional tournaments. It is coming very soon for the rest of us.
In next Wednesday’s Rules post, we will examine another interesting detail embedded in the new electronic line-calling regulation. The rulebook specifies that when an electronic review changes a call, the decision is recorded as an overrule. That small classification carries larger implications for how officiating authority is structured in tennis, especially as technology becomes more integrated into the sport. I think it shakes things up a bit.
