Venus-Serena XXX Scores Major Overnight Rating

Highest-Rated Telecast in First Three Rounds in ESPN History

Rating More than Doubles Last Year’s Friday Night

Friday night’s US Open telecast on ESPN – Serena Williams defeating older sister Venus 6-1 6-2 in dominating fashion – earned an impressive 1.8 overnight rating for the match and 1.5 for the two-hour telecast in the metered markets, according to Nielsen.  That is the highest rating in the first three rounds at the US Open that ESPN/ESPN2 has ever earned in history, 123 telecasts starting in 2009.

The two-hour telecast (7:15 – 9:15 p.m. ET) was up 114% — more than double – last year’s equivalent telecast on ESPN2 (0.7).  The match (8-9:15 p.m.) peaked at 1.9 from 8:45 – 9 p.m.

Saturday Night in New York

Tonight’s US Open prime-time “double doubleheader” of third round matches on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET has #22 Maria Sharapova, a five-time Major winner including a career Grand Slam, facing a tough test against #10 Jelena Ostapenko in Arthur Ashe Stadium before #6 Novak Djokovic plays #26 Richard Gasquet.  At the same time, Louis Armstrong Stadium will see two matches where a Major champion squares off with a very young but promising player:  #5 Petra Kvitova, twice winner at Wimbledon, vs. #26 Aryna Sabalenka, 20 years old and coming off a tremendous summer, followed by #7 Marin Cilic, the 2014 champion in New York, vs. 19-year old Alex De Minaur of Australia.

ESPN and the US Open

ESPN has exclusive live action of the US Open with 130 hours on television and 1,300 more streaming live on the ESPN app via ESPN+ and ESPN3.  The daily action from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will culminate with the Women’s Championship on Saturday, Sept. 8, and the Men’s Championship on Sunday, Sept. 9, both at 4 p.m.

ESPN’s US Open Schedule Labor Day Weekend:

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