Tennis on television

Tennis television coverage
Industry	Sports broadcasting
Area served	Worldwide

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Tennis on television, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 11 August 2025

Tennis television coverage encompasses live broadcasts of tournaments, match highlights, expert commentary, and in-depth analysis delivered via various networks and streaming services. The inaugural tennis match shown on U.S. television took place in 1939, while the BBC initiated its Wimbledon broadcasts in 1937. Leading American broadcasters such as NBC, CBS, ESPN, TNT, and the Tennis Channel have secured rights to air Grand Slam tournaments and professional tennis circuits. Over time, coverage has advanced from basic single-camera setups to sophisticated multi-channel live streams equipped with enhanced features, ensuring tennis remains a prominent fixture in global sports media.

Grand Slam events

In the United Kingdom, Eurosport possesses exclusive broadcasting rights for the French Open through 2026, having maintained sole coverage since 2022. Before this arrangement, the rights were shared with ITV Sport, with most daily matches shown on ITV4 and weekend contests aired on ITV. The coverage team is anchored by John Inverdale, supported by commentators including Jim Courier, Amélie Mauresmo, Sam Smith, Mark Petchey, Nick Mullins, and Fabrice Santoro. Eurosport’s studio segments are led by Annabel Croft, featuring the Hawk-Eye analysis presented by former British No. 2 player Jason Goodall.

The BBC Sport division holds live broadcasting rights for both the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and the Queen's Club Championships. The BBC has been covering Wimbledon since 1927 under a contract extending until 2024, marking the longest-running agreement in sports broadcasting history. It generates over 900 hours of footage annually, which is distributed to broadcasters across 159 countries. Coverage is fronted by former British No. 1 and 1976 French Open winner Sue Barker, with live matches accessible on BBC One, BBC Two, the Red Button service, and digital platforms. Highlights are featured on Today at Wimbledon, hosted by Clare Balding since 2015.

ESPN acquired exclusive U.S. Open broadcast rights in 2015, concluding CBS’s 47-year tenure with the event. ESPN airs matches on its primary channels ESPN and ESPN2, while additional courts are streamed via ESPN+. In the UK market, Sky Sports held US Open broadcasting rights from 1991 until 2015 before they transitioned to Amazon Prime Video. Sky Sports regained these rights in 2023 and will continue to broadcast the tournament through 2027.

1930s-1940s

The BBC began televising Wimbledon in the UK in 1937. Early broadcasts utilized two cameras focused on Centre Court for up to half an hour daily. The first televised encounter featured players Bunny Austin and George Lyttleton-Rogers. Matches are primarily aired on BBC One, BBC Two, and through the Red Button interactive service, with live coverage occasionally shifting between these channels. The BBC’s contract for Wimbledon extends through 2027. During the era of British Satellite Broadcasting, its dedicated sports channel offered extended Wimbledon content available to subscribers. Initial commentators included Freddie Grisewood until 1954 and later the iconic "voice of tennis," Dan Maskell, who provided commentary from 1951 until his retirement in 1991. Following Maskell, John Barrett took over until 2006. Present-day BBC commentary teams include former players such as Andrew Castle, John Lloyd, Tim Henman, Greg Rusedski, Samantha Smith, and Mark Petchey; tennis greats like John McEnroe, Tracy Austin, Boris Becker, and Lindsay Davenport; alongside general sports commentators including Andrew Cotter and Nick Mullins. Live presentations are hosted by Sue Barker, with highlights covered by Clare Balding. Past presenters have featured figures like Des Lynam, David Vine, John Inverdale, and Harry Carpenter.

NBC’s tennis broadcasts commenced on August 9, 1939, showcasing the first televised match at the amateur-level Eastern Grass Court Championships held in Rye, New York.

1950s

At the 1955 Davis Cup, NBC pioneered the first color television broadcast of a tennis match, featuring the United States versus Australia. From 1952 through 1964, NBC also aired the US Nationals, with commentary provided by notable figures such as Bud Palmer, Jack Kramer, Lindsey Nelson, Don Budge, Bill Stern, and Bill Talbert.

Between 1956 and 1968, ITV delivered live coverage of Wimbledon, led by chief commentator Fred Perry. During this era, ITV's daily broadcast hours were fewer than those of the BBC and included commercial breaks, contrasting with the BBC's uninterrupted programming.

1960s

ABC in the United States began featuring recorded highlights of the Wimbledon Gentlemen's Singles Final in 1963 as part of its Wide World of Sports series. The network also took over coverage of the US Championships from NBC between 1965 and 1967.

In Australia, televised coverage of the later rounds of the Australian championships became a regular occurrence in the mid-1960s, with Channel 2 and Channel 9 alternating broadcast rights from 1965 until 1971.

The inaugural US Open Tennis Championships telecast was presented by CBS Sports in 1968, featuring Bud Collins and Jack Kramer as commentators. James Wall held the role of stage manager for US Open broadcasts for an impressive span of 41 years.

Starting in 1969, NBC commenced a 43-year tenure covering Wimbledon, providing same-day taped broadcasts of the Gentlemen's Singles Final.

1970s

The Seven Network served as the primary broadcaster for the Australian Open from 1973 until 2018. Subsequently, Nine Network secured a five-year contract beginning in 2020 and also acquired rights to air the 2019 tournament. The Australian Open’s television rights are highly valuable due to its scheduling during Australia's Summer non-ratings period, which enables broadcasters to promote forthcoming shows effectively.

NBC initiated coverage of the French Open in 1975 and, aside from a brief period when CBS held rights, has been its main U.S. broadcaster since 1983. The network airs early-round weekend matches on tape delay while broadcasting finals live. Current agreements prevent ESPN2 and Tennis Channel from airing NBC’s tape-delayed matches.

From 1975 until 1999, HBO provided same-day weekday coverage of Wimbledon.

The WTA signed its inaugural television contract with CBS in 1975, significantly enhancing its financial standing.

In 1978, Hughes broadcast eight weekend tournaments that were individually sold by Taft Broadcasting, with Bud Collins and Donald Dell serving as announcers.

BBC Television aired US Open finals in both 1977 and 1978 and has covered traditional grass-court warm-up events before Wimbledon since 1979. These include the Queen's Club Championships—under contract through 2024—and the Eastbourne International, primarily shown on BBC Two.

Beginning in 1979, NBC’s "Breakfast at Wimbledon" became a U.S. staple by offering early-morning live coverage of men’s matches to accommodate time zone differences; women's rounds were added in 1982. Bud Collins was a prominent voice until leaving NBC in 2007 to join ESPN, which holds Wimbledon cable rights. Dick Enberg served as NBC’s lead host for many years until his final Wimbledon broadcast in 2011.

1980s

The BBC televised French Open finals from 1981 through 2011 and US Open finals between 1977 and 1987. In 1988, Channel Four took over broadcasting US Open finals. Sky Sports reintroduced US Open coverage to UK audiences in 1991 and maintained it for a quarter-century. The BBC also covered later stages of the Australian Open in both 1989 and again in 1995.

Between 1980 and 1982, CBS alternated French Open broadcasts with NBC. In 1982, CBS launched "Super Saturday," a programming block starting at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time featuring Men's Semifinals surrounding the Women's Final.

CBS traditionally scheduled regional NFL games on Sundays during its airing of the Men's US Open Tennis final at 4:05 p.m. Eastern Time due to ratings concerns about Sunday night broadcasts. The women's final, typically held on Saturday nights, often attracted higher viewership than the men's final—particularly when no American men were competing.

All courts at the US Open are equipped with lighting systems that facilitate prime-time television coverage, enhancing Nielsen ratings. This feature benefited USA Network and CBS when they moved women's singles finals to Saturday night slots to maximize audience size.

A notable moment occurred at Wimbledon in 1983 when Beth Herr played Billie Jean King in a match showcasing innovative techniques on HBO's Breakfast at Wimbledon.

From 1984 onward, USA Network became the leading U.S. cable broadcaster for the US Open until rights shifted to ESPN2 and Tennis Channel in 2009. Universal HD simulcasted USA Network’s coverage in high definition during both 2006 and 2007.

On September 11, 1987, during a U.S. Open semifinal broadcast, CBS anchor Dan Rather temporarily left his position to avoid cutting short coverage of Pope John Paul II’s visit to the United States. This resulted in six minutes of dead air across more than one hundred affiliates; Rather subsequently issued an apology for this disruption.

Eurosport began airing French Open coverage in 1989 and continues to hold broadcasting rights today.

1990s

With the advent of satellite broadcasting in the early 1990s, the UK gained the capability to provide daily live coverage from the outset for all three Grand Slam events held outside its borders. Following Sky's 1990 merger with BSB—which had covered the 1990 US Open—Sky Sports commenced its enduring partnership broadcasting the US Open in 1991. Additionally, Sky Sports transmitted the Australian Open from 1991 through 1994. Eurosport initially covered the Australian Open in 1990 and resumed coverage from 1995 onward. The BBC aired live broadcasts of the Australian Open finals between 1995 and 2015 before transitioning to highlight packages starting in 2016, and also covered the concluding two days of the 1992 US Open.

By 1991, the men's professional tour had secured its inaugural television rights package encompassing 19 tournaments. The ATP launched its first official website in 1995 and soon after established a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Mercedes-Benz. Legal challenges in 2008 concerning related matters led to a reorganization of the tour structure.

Between 1994 and 2001, USA Network served as the American cable broadcaster for the French Open prior to ESPN channels assuming these rights.

A significant media controversy occurred at the 1995 US Open when Jane Bronstein filed a lawsuit against CBS and David Letterman over unauthorized footage aired on the Late Show, culminating in a settlement in 1997.

In 1995, NBC Sports introduced digital on-screen graphics in a rudimentary text-based format, which evolved by 1999 into a sophisticated graphics package featuring translucent black panels with beveled gold accents and color schemes customized for each sport.

2000s

From 2000 until 2002, TNT, along with CNN Sports Illustrated and briefly CNNfn, provided same-day weekday coverage of Wimbledon, replacing HBO's previous broadcasts. TNT contributed approximately 61 hours during prime time within an estimated total of 89 hours of programming.

The Tennis Channel was founded in 2001 by Steve Bellamy, who appointed Bruce Rider to oversee programming and marketing efforts. A group informally known as the "Viacom Mafia," including former Viacom CEOs Philippe Dauman and Frank Biondi along with CEO Thomas E. Dooley, invested alongside firms such as Bain Capital Ventures, J.P. Morgan Partners, Battery Ventures, Columbia Capital, and tennis legends Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, collectively raising nearly $100 million. Their objective was to attract an upscale audience akin to that of the Golf Channel. The channel launched in early 2003 with coverage beginning from a Fed Cup tie held in Lowell, Massachusetts. Barry MacKay was among its inaugural commentators.

Bravo broadcast overnight and morning Olympic tennis coverage produced by NBC Sports during the 2004 and 2006 Games but did not carry any Olympic tennis content in 2008 following NBCUniversal's acquisition of Oxygen. For the London Summer Olympics in 2012, Bravo aired a total of 56 hours dedicated to Olympic tennis.

At the 2004 US Open, CBS pioneered use of the MacCam slow-motion replay system to review disputed line calls; this technology notably exposed errors during Serena Williams' quarterfinal defeat against Jennifer Capriati.

In 2005, NBC introduced horizontal scorebars for college football and hockey broadcasts; however, tennis broadcasts continued to experience inconsistent scoring graphics.

That same year, Tennis Channel purchased the ATP Tour’s Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic from IMG and relocated it to Las Vegas as the Tennis Channel Open in 2006, expanding it to include women’s and junior competitions. Despite these efforts, by 2006 Tennis Channel had only amassed five million subscribers—a shortfall attributed to lacking rights for marquee events like Grand Slams. Subsequently, Ken Solomon assumed leadership to address these challenges.

On February 1, 2006, Tennis Channel became a founding member of the Association of Independent Programming Networks (AIPN), with Randy Brown—its senior vice president of distribution—serving as a co-founder.

In a notable rights acquisition move in 2006, Tennis Channel outbid ESPN by a factor of two for cable rights to the French Open but then sub-licensed half of those rights back to ESPN at a reduced rate. By 2008, Tennis Channel sold back its Tennis Channel Open tournament rights to ATP to concentrate on securing Grand Slam broadcast rights. Starting in 2009, it shared US Open cable coverage with ESPN.

NBC’s delayed broadcast strategy for Wimbledon drew criticism from organizers due to tape-delayed matches outside Eastern Time zones and late start times following Today show airings. In one incident during the 2009 tournament, ESPN2’s live quarterfinal telecast was cut off nationally at 10 a.m. Eastern time so NBC could air a delayed match.

CBS occasionally segmented The Late Late Show to showcase US Open tennis highlights during late-night slots but shifted by mid-2007 to airing highlight packages first followed by delayed full episodes.

During the men’s final at the 2009 US Open, CBS host Dick Enberg initially refused Juan Martín del Potro’s request to address viewers in Spanish during his trophy presentation due to time restrictions but later permitted a brief statement after sponsor acknowledgments. This exchange sparked viewer backlash; CBS defended its decision citing contractual commitments with sponsors.

Beginning in 2009 and through multiple contract renewals extending until at least 2020, the BBC secured exclusive free-to-air rights for eight singles matches at the ATP World Tour Finals—including semifinals and finals—while Sky Sports broadcasts one afternoon match daily including key semifinal and final matches typically on BBC Two.

2010s

In 2010, CBS delivered the U.S. Open coverage in 3D through DirecTV N3D.

ITV Sport took over French Open broadcasting rights from the BBC in 2011, starting coverage in 2012 mainly on ITV4, with the finals aired on ITV. Although ITV faced criticism in 2014 for shifting the men's final late in the match to ITV4—restricting access for some viewers—the network extended its contract through 2021. From 2022 onward, Eurosport secured exclusive UK broadcasting rights.

The 2011 Wimbledon tournament marked NBC's final year after a 43-year run; beginning in 2012, ESPN obtained exclusive U.S. live rights. Wimbledon became the second Grand Slam to be shown exclusively on pay television in the U.S., while ABC began airing select replays and live matches starting in 2022.

In September 2011, several cable providers dropped Tennis Channel due to disagreements over carriage fees and channel placement, though Verizon FiOS reinstated the channel in January 2012. The FCC ruled in July 2012 that Comcast’s earlier decision to place Tennis Channel on a premium sports tier was discriminatory, ordering its move to basic cable alongside Golf Channel and NBCSN. Comcast challenged this ruling but ultimately kept Tennis Channel within its sports package after failed appeals.

CBS Sports Network increased its US Open coverage in August 2012 by adding replays and matches not broadcast on CBS. That same month, NBC extended its French Open contract through 2024, incorporating additional live hours including Memorial Day and women's semifinals. With ESPN securing an exclusive eleven-year US Open contract starting in 2015, the French Open remained the sole tennis Grand Slam available on American network television.

BT Sport signed a deal in January 2013 to broadcast 21 live WTA tournaments annually until 2016, providing up to 800 hours of coverage including the WTA Championships.

Tennis Channel launched a golf merchandise online store in August 2013 and introduced Tennis Channel Everywhere (a TV Everywhere service) that year, followed by Tennis Channel Plus (a direct-to-consumer subscription) in May 2014, offering expanded event coverage and digital rights for French Open matches outside of the finals.

In May 2013, ESPN finalized an $770 million agreement for an eleven-year US Open broadcast deal beginning in 2015, ending CBS’s 47-year tenure. ESPN utilizes ESPN and ESPN2 for broadcasts and ESPN+ for outer court matches.

After nearly a quarter-century, Sky Sports ended its US Open coverage in 2016; ATP Tour rights transitioned to Amazon Prime Video in 2018, which also streams the US Open.

In 2015, Tennis Channel secured a four-year agreement to broadcast Washington D.C.’s Citi Open (ATP World Tour 500 and WTA International), which exited the US Open Series due to limited ESPN coverage under its exclusive US Open contract.

Eurosport covers the Australian Open across Europe; however, the BBC discontinued live UK broadcasts in 2016 citing budget constraints. Additional regional broadcasters include beIN Sports (Middle East/North Africa), SuperSport (Sub-Saharan Africa), TSN (Canada), NHK and WOWOW (Japan), Sony Six (Indian Subcontinent), and Fox Sports Asia through 2021.

France Télévisions and Eurosport shared French Open rights in France as of 2016. The BBC co-broadcast Davis Cup matches with Eurosport under a joint agreement that concluded in 2017.

By January 2017, BT Sport held rights to air 52 WTA tournaments annually through 2019, featuring commentary from prominent tennis experts.

beIN Sports broadcast Wimbledon, Davis Cup, Fed Cup, ATP Masters and Finals, plus select ATP and WTA events in France; it also held exclusive WTA Tour rights from 2017 to 2021 across the U.S., Spain, Australia, Middle East, and North Africa.

Starting with Wimbledon 2018, Wimbledon Broadcasting Services (WBS) replaced BBC Sport as the official host broadcaster. That year, the BBC experimented with streaming Centre Court matches in 4K UHD via iPlayer.

In October 2018, Tennis Channel acquired broadcasting rights for 46 international WTA events under a five-year contract commencing in 2019, taking over from beIN Sports amid criticism regarding beIN’s limited U.S. availability and scheduling issues.

In 2019, Tennis Channel renewed its Citi Open rights for five more years as the tournament rejoined the US Open Series under new ownership.

2020s

In 2021, Channel 4 arranged a last-minute agreement with the rights holder Amazon Prime to televise live coverage of the 2021 US Open – Women's Singles final following the advancement of Britain’s Emma Raducanu to the championship match. This event marked Channel 4's first tennis broadcast since the late 1980s.

Eurosport secured exclusive broadcasting rights for the Laver Cup in September 2021, with the agreement extending through to 2030.

Tennis coverage returned to Sky Sports in 2023 when it obtained broadcasting rights for the US Open, taking over from Amazon Prime. Later that year, Sky revealed plans to reacquire rights to ATP Tour tournaments, which it had previously held between 2002 and 2018 before Amazon Prime Video became the sole UK broadcaster. The new contract encompasses over 80 men's and women's competitions annually until 2028, including prestigious events such as the Nitto ATP Finals, WTA Finals, all ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournaments, as well as ATP 500 and 250 events (with the exception of domestic tournaments) and the Next Gen ATP Finals. Coverage is anchored by Gigi Salmon, featuring expert analysis from Tim Henman and Laura Robson.

This broadened tennis offering prompted Sky to launch a dedicated channel, Sky Sports Tennis, which began airing in February 2024. This initiative establishes Sky as a leading UK broadcaster for ATP and WTA Tours alongside the US Open.

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