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After Four Days, ESPN Viewership Soaring, the Best Ever

First-Ball-to-Last Ball Coverage on Linear TV Every Day   

All Matches from Every Court on the ESPN App 

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Over Labor Day Weekend, ESPN will present at least 12 hours of linear TV from the US Open plus every match from every court will be available to fans via the ESPN App, with Saturday night’s telecast highlighted by No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal being challenged by veteran Richard Gasquet in a third-round match. The action each day begins at 11 a.m. ET – on ESPN2 Saturday and on ESPN Sunday and Monday, transitioning to ESPN2 at 7 p.m. each day – and will continue until play is concluded.  

ESPN’s US Open Viewership after Four Days 

After four days of the US Open, ESPN’s viewership is the best since the network began televising tennis’ final Major of the year in 2009. The 2022 average of 850,000 viewers is an increase of 63% over a year ago.  

  • The nearly 13-hour telecast starting at noon Thursday averaged 1.03 million viewers, almost double (up 90%) from last year.  
  • ESPN2’s evening telecast – the Williams Sisters in doubles followed by Rafael Nadal with an average of 1.5 million viewers – is the third-most-viewed early round (rounds 1-3) US Open telecast ever for ESPN. The number of viewers was larger than 2021 by 131%. 
  • The Day Four audience peaked at 2.7 million viewers during the later stages of the doubles match. 

Saturday’s Other Matches  

Day Session: 

  • American No. 8 Jessica Pegula starts the day off on Arthur Ashe Stadium at noon playing Yue Yuan of China. That match will be followed by No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz vs. American Jenson Brooksby.   
  • In Louis Armstrong Stadium, the first pairing is at 11 a.m. and sees a compelling matchup of two-time Major champions, No. 9 Garbine Muguruza and No. 21 Petra Kvitova.   
  • The schedule there continues with another two-time Major winner, No. 26 Victoria Azarenka who is also twice been the runner-up at the US Open, facing Petra Martic.   
  • Starting no earlier than 2 p.m., American No. 22 Frances Tiafoe will square off against No. 14 Diego Schwartzman. 

Night Session:  

  • At 7 p.m., the doubleheader on Ashe starts with Nadal – seeking to extend his record with a 23rd Major victory – playing Gasquet, a 36-year-old from France.   
  • American No. 19 Danielle Collins will meet Alize Cornet.   
  • Meanwhile, on Armstrong, top-seeded Iga Swiatek will be challenged by Lauren Davis of Ohio, followed by No. 11 Jannik Sinner vs. Brandon Nakashima of California. 

Looking Ahead 

Sunday’s matches will pit today’s winners while Monday’s matches will feature Saturday’s winners, all looking for a slot in the quarterfinals.     

ESPN’s US Open Schedule Labor Day Weekend 

Date   Time (ET)   Network(s)   Event  
Mon Aug 29 – Thurs Sept 8   11 a.m.   ESPN+ ESPN3   Up to 16 courts in action  
Sat Sept 3   11 a.m.   ESPN2   Third Round  
11:15 a.m.   ESPN Deportes  
7 p.m.   ESPN2   Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM  

Third Round  

Sun Sept 4   11 a.m.   ESPN   Round of 16  
Noon   ESPN Deportes  
7 p.m.   ESPN2   Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM  

Round of 16  

Mon Sept 5   11 a.m.   ESPN   Round of 16  
Noon   ESPN Deportes  
7 p.m.   ESPN2   Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM  

Round of 16  

ESPN Deportes   Round of 16  

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