SUMMARY
- Australian Open 2024 captivates with thrilling matches, drawing million of TV viewers for men's and women's singles finals.
- Nine Entertainment's extensive coverage records a total of 10.1 million viewers, showcasing the success of the AO 2024.
The Australian Open 2024 delivered captivating tennis spectacles that held the spectators spellbound. Nine, the commercial broadcaster, showcased the men’s and women’s singles finals, drawing in a massive audience.
The men’s singles showdown between Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Russia’s Daniil Medvedev gripped Sunday evening viewers, while the women’s singles final between Aryna Sabalenka and Qinwen Zheng was broadcast on Saturday evening.
With a total TV reach of 4.8 million, Sinner’s awe-inspiring comeback from a two-set deficit added a layer of excitement, capturing the attention of 2.2 million national audiences during the 3-hour and 44-minute battle, with an additional 314,000 tuning in on BVOD. (Broadcast Video on Demand)
Big audience on Channel Nine for the #AusOpen men’s final.
– Total reach of almost 4.8 million.
– National audience of over 2.2 million.Different rating system being used but believe this is well up on the 2023 final between Djokovic and Tsitsipas. https://t.co/fs5cgrzHUg
— Connor Joyce (@connorjoyceb) January 29, 2024
Simultaneously, the women’s singles final witnessed Aryna Sabalenka’s dominance against Qinwen Zheng at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Despite the match lacking high competitiveness, it drew a staggering total of 3.3 million viewers, peaking at 1.5 million viewers at a single point. It extended beyond the traditional TV audience, making waves in the digital world, totaling 162,000 live BVOD viewers.
The women’s singles Australian Open final, which saw Aryna Sabalenka win against first-time grand slam finalist Qinwen Zheng, had 3.26 million total spectators and peaked at 1.49 million viewers, a 15% increase compared to 2023’s final
More👇🏼https://t.co/M8a1NDXSxf pic.twitter.com/E1a1Vm09nU
— Mario Boccardi (@marioboc17) January 30, 2024
The extensive coverage of the AO 2024 finals by Nine Entertainment emerged as a standout, amassing a total of 10.1 million viewers throughout the tournament. The men’s final, with Sinner’s remarkable victory and its 314,000 on-demand viewers, surpassed other sporting events on January 28. In parallel, the women’s singles final achieved its second-largest on-demand audience, showcasing a remarkable 68 percent year-on-year growth.
The total viewership at the AO 2024 had a significant increase compared to the previous year in both the men’s and women’s finals. The Australian Open 2024, with its riveting matches and Nine Network’s extensive coverage, played a pivotal role in the viewership success of the Grand Slam down under.
Craig Tiley’s concerns on tennis doubles
Tennis doubles are facing an uncertain future, and the concerns raised by Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley underlined the challenges ahead for this aspect of the sport. Tiley expressed his worries about professional doubles tennis, acknowledging that tennis has ‘lost our way.’
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) is actively reviewing the status of doubles, recognizing the need for innovation to captivate a broader audience. Tiley’s concerns extend beyond the professional tours and the impact on the four Grand Slam events.
Tiley stated, “We’re going to look at the health of doubles, and that’s everything from the opportunities for doubles players to prize money distribution.” Historically, doubles have struggled to match the popularity of singles, even when featuring local players.
The attendance for the men’s doubles final, featuring Australian Matthew Ebden and Rohan Bopanna, notably lagged behind the audience for the women’s singles final that preceded it on Rod Laver Arena. These challenges in attracting crowds come at a time when the Melbourne Park gates broke attendance records, welcoming over a million people during the two-week tournament.
The tournament’s recent initiatives to attract crowds at the Australian Open 2024 need further reflection in light of the ongoing concerns about the future of doubles tennis. The challenge with doubles is part of tennis’s bigger problem, and it needs careful plans to revive and keep this exciting part of the sport alive.