The Tennis Thread

[DramatistDreamer]

Didn’t Andy Murray with the bionic hip bagel Opelka recently?

[Fevuh]

I don’t know, but I remember him losing to Murray in best of 3 with 7-6 in there. But he has lost to him. Opelka gets a pass for me for now. Not worthy of HOF at all but I feel like he can play at least. I remember a tournament where he beat a lot of ranked players. I don’t remember Isner ever stringing anything together. 

[DramatistDreamer]

Here’s my answer. It happened this week.

[Soapsuds]

Last Sunday’s Novak Djokovic-Nick Kyrgios Wimbledon men’s final averaged a 1.3 rating and 2.24 million viewers on ESPN, ranking as the most-watched men’s final excluding those involving Roger Federer since 3.05 million watched Andy Murray-Djokovic in 2012 (four telecasts). Ratings increased 18% and viewership 22% from Djokovic-Matteo Berrettini last year (1.1, 1.8M).

Djokovic’s win, which peaked with 3.3 million viewers, fell well short of his 2019 five-set defeat of Federer (3.83M). An encore presentation on ABC averaged a 0.63 and 1.02 million.

The previous day’s Elena Rybakina-Ons Jabeur women’s final averaged a 0.7 and 1.21 million, flat in ratings and up 9% in viewership from Ashleigh Barty-Karolina Pliskova last year (0.7, 1.1M) but down sharply from Simona Halep-Serena Williams in 2019 (1.7, 2.44M). The ABC encore drew a 0.52 and 838,000. Combined, the two ABC encore presentations averaged 931,000 (+13%).

The complete Wimbledon tournament averaged 647,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, up 26% from last year. Keep in mind this year marked the first time since NBC last held rights in 2011 that any live Wimbledon coverage was scheduled for broadcast television. In addition, last year’s Wimbledon coverage included fewer hours on the flagship ESPN network due to the UEFA Euros.

While this year’s audience jumped 26% from last year, it declined the same amount from 2019 (877K). Keep in mind that 2019 figures did not include out-of-home viewing.

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[DramatistDreamer]

Does ABC have a broadcast contract with the people at the AELTC to broadcast the tournament, or is it just something they work out amongst themselves with Disney/ESPN? I guess I am asking whether ABC will think it’s worth their time to broadcast matches next year, or will they leave it all on ESPN?9

[DramatistDreamer]

This is cool for Maxime.

[Faulkner]

Didn’t think I’d see this happen:

 

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[Soapsuds]

Sigh still with the big three/four mess. No wonder ticket sales were down at Wimbledon this year. 

Had the Cup been in the states again Novax wouldn't have been included. Glad we won't see him until Paris. He can spread the virus somewhere else. 

[Soapsuds]

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[DramatistDreamer]

Wow, I remember Jamea Jackson. This is awesome.

[Soapsuds]

Watching tennis on tennis channel and Traci mentions that Ivashka and Karen Khachanov are brothers in laws. They are married to twin sisters. Its nice to see neither is married to the typical model blonde type most male tennis players date.

[Soapsuds]

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[DramatistDreamer]

^^Everyone has been trying to decipher that connection.

[Soapsuds]

Venus playing Monday night on TC

Also on Monday

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[I Am A Swede]

Novak Djokovic unlikely to play US Open with Grand Slam to 'respect' government vaccine rules