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Williams sisters’ US Open return boosts ESPN viewership
Venus Williams, right, and Serena Williams slap hands during the third set as they play against Hao-Ching Chan, of Taiwan, and Maya Joint, of Australia. AP Photo-Adam Hunger
ESPN recorded its highest viewership through the first three rounds of the US Open since Serena Williams last competed in the tournament in 2022, helped by the return of Serena and Venus Williams to doubles action.
The network said Wednesday that its coverage on Friday, when the Williams sisters played a night match, averaged 1.1 million viewers across ESPN and ESPN2.
Viewership peaked at 2.2 million between 10 and 10:15 p.m. EDT as Serena and Venus lost to Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint in a match tiebreaker.
Friday’s coverage marked a 17 percent increase from the same day last year. ESPN2 also averaged 1.1 million viewers on Saturday, up 37 percent from last year.
Overall, the tournament averaged 846,000 viewers through the third round, making it the most-watched US Open at that stage since 2022. – AP/UNB