Tag: serena williams

Serena Williams’ final US Open match most watched tennis telecast in ESPN history

NEW YORK – Serena Williams’s defeat at the U.S. Open on Friday in what was likely the final match of her glittering career was the most-watched tennis telecast in ESPN’s 43-year history, the network said on Tuesday.

Williams’s third-round loss to beat Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York averaged 4.8 million viewers from 7:15 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. ET and peaked with 6.9 million viewers in the 10:15 p.m. quarter-hour.

Williams and sister Venus took the tennis world by storm when they emerged from the courts of Compton, California as teenagers and went on to dominate and change the face of the predominantly white sport.

Serena Williams waves to the crowd after being defeated by Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia in Flushing Meadows, New York.
JASON SZENES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstoc

The winner of 23-Grand Slam singles tournaments, Williams transcended the sport and her likely departure from competitive tennis to focus on growing her family and business interests led to a flood of tributes from athletes, celebrities and politicians.

Williams’s three singles matches and one doubles match alongside Venus helped drive up viewership through the first five days of the tournament as an average of 1.1. million viewers tuned in to ESPN networks, up 101% versus 2021.

Serena Williams celebrates a point during her last career match against Ajla Tomljanovic at the US Open.
Serena Williams celebrates a point during her last career match against Ajla Tomljanovic at the US Open.
Getty Images

“These are the most-viewed first five days of the U.S. Open on record on ESPN networks,” ESPN said in a press release.

A spokesman for network, whose stable of tennis analysts include former world number ones Chris Evert, John McEnroe and Caroline Wozniacki, last week told Reuters that the network would be happy to discuss the possibility of bringing Williams into the broadcast booth if she wanted to go in that direction in retirement. 

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Hugh Jackman, Anna Wintour take in Serena Williams’ US Open match

Serena Williams brought out the stars.

The 40-year-old had quite the cheering section for the start of her final go-round at Flushing Meadows, a Monday night matchup against Danka Kovinic.

“The crowd was crazy,” Serena told CBS’ Gayle Williams post-match. “Really helped pull me through.”

Chief among her well-wishers was Serena’s four-year-old daughter Olympia, who was a staple of ESPN’s coverage, shouting for mom, eating a lollipop, and playing around with Reddit founder and dad Alexis Ohanian in the player’s box.

Serena Williams’s daughter Olympia and husband Alexis Ohanian take pictures and cheer.
Corbis via Getty Images
Vogue Magazine Anna Wintour focuses in on the match between Williams and Kovinic.
Getty Images/Elsa

Olympia wore a sequined outfit similar to Serena’s, her hair festooned with white beads in an apparent homage to her mom’s hairstyle from her first U.S. Open title in 1999.

Also seated in Serena’s box was Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue magazine, which served as the outlet for the 23-time Grand Slam champion’s retirement announcement.

Mayor Eric Adams took in the spectacle, as well.

Spike Lee found his way on the 2022 US Open court for the coin toss.

“She inspired so many young people to see that there’s no limitation,” Adams said before the match. “She has done so much to this generation of introducing tennis into their lives.”

Elsewhere in the crowd, boxer Mike Tyson sat next to tennis legend Martina Navratilova and petted her dog, Lulu.

Director Spike Lee took part in an on-court coin toss before the matchup. Queen Latifah, who narrated a highlight video of Serena, took in the action from the stands as well.

Actress Rebel Wilson and actors Anthony Anderson and Hugh Jackman were in the crowd, as were Katie Couric, Matt Damon, Gayle King and Lindsey Vonn.

Actor Hugh Jackman and Anthony Anderson sit in the stands as Serena Williams celebrates her win.
NY POST

Perhaps the oddest sighting at Arthur Ashe Stadium was the pairing of President Bill Clinton and 94-year-old sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer. The two were shown engaging in conversation, including a playful slap from Westheimer to Clinton’s face.



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