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The Australian Open, tennis’ first major tournament of the year, will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN+ and streaming on the ESPN app beginning Sunday, Jan. 13. There’ll be more than 100 hours of television plus 1,400 hours of streaming of tournament coverage, culminating with the Women’s and Men’s Championships on January 26 and 27, respectively, both at 3:30 a.m. ET.
ESPN’s tennis announcers, analysts and studio hosts for the Australian Open are (in alphabetical order by their last name): Darren Cahill, Cliff Drysdale, Chrissie Evert, Mary Joe Fernandez, Chris Fowler, Brad Gilbert, Jason Goodall,Bethanie Mattek-Sands, John McEnroe, Patrick McEnroe, Chris McKendry, Patrick Mouratoglou, Pam Shriver, and Rennae Stubbs.
ESPN.com’s Digital Serve video and daily global reports and analysis from contributors Alyssa Roenigk, Simon Cambers, Matt Wilansky and the ESPN Australia staff. Peter Bodo will add to the depth of coverage from stateside.
ESPN Interactive TV will present a six-screen mosaic on DIRECTV featuring the ESPN/Tennis Channel linear feed and five TV courts, during the first seven days of the tournament. Sam Gore will host.
Eight different women have won the last eight Majors, including defending Australian Open champ Caroline Wozniacki, U.S. Open champ Naomi Osaka and top-ranked French Open champ Simona Halep who each captured their first Grand Slam title in 2018. That streak could continue with former Major winners Petra Kvitova or Victoria Azarenka or standouts who are yet to take a big trophy: Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova, Kiki Bertens and Daria Kasatkina all ended 2018 in the top 10. American Madison Keys is also seeking her first Major crown while Sloane Stephens of the U.S. finished last year ranked No. 6 and won her lone Major title at the 2017 US Open.
If it is Serena Williams the last woman standing, it would be her first title as a mom and her 24th Major title, tying the record held by Australia’s Margaret Court.
Only three male tennis players have won major tournaments since the start of 2017, all living legends – defending champ Roger Federer (3 of his 20 career Major wins), Rafael Nadal (3 of his 17) and 6-time winner Down Under Novak Djokovic (the most recent two, bringing him to 14). Knocking on the door is a raft promising players 23 or younger. Sascha Zverev (21) is ranked No. 4, Karen Khachanov and Borna Coric (both 22) are No. 11-12, plus No. 14 Kyle Edmund (23), No. 15 Stefanos Tsitsipas (20), No. 16 Daniil Medvedev (22) and in the top 40, Hyeon Chung (22), Denis Shapovalov and Alex de Minaur (both 19) and American Frances Tiafoe (20). There’s also the mercurial Nick Kyrgios (23) who this week fell to No. 51.
The following are the Australian Open tennis events including dates, start times, and TV networks. All times Eastern.
All Courts (up to 16), all day plus Spanish-language coverage
Sunday, Jan. 13 7 p.m. – Friday Jan. 27 on ESPN+, ESPN3, ESPN app (live)
2017 Australian Open Women’s Championship: Serena Williams vs. Venus Williams
Sunday, Jan. 13 5-7 a.m. on ESPN Classic (encore)
2017 Australian Open Men’s Championship: Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal
Sunday, Jan. 13 7-9 a.m. on ESPN Classic (encore)
2018 Australian Open Women’s Championship: Caroline Wozniacki vs. Simona Halep
Sunday, Jan. 13 noon-2 p.m. on ESPN Classic (encore)
2018 Australian Open Men’s Championship: Roger Federer vs. Marin Cilic
Sunday, Jan. 13 3-5 p.m. on ESPN Classic (encore)
Early Round Play
Live telecasts
Sunday, Jan. 13 7 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN2
Monday, Jan. 14-Wednesday, Jan. 16 7-9 p.m. on ESPN+
Monday, Jan. 14-Wednesday, Jan. 16 9 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN2
Thursday, Jan. 17 7-11 p.m. on ESPN+
Thursday, Jan. 17 11 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN2
Friday, Jan. 18 7-9 p.m. on ESPN+
Friday, Jan. 18 9 p.m.-7 a.m.
Same-Day encore telecasts on ESPN2
Monday, Jan. 14-Tuesday, Jan. 15 2-5 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 16 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 17-Friday, Jan. 18 noon-3 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 19 9 a.m.-noon
Round of 16
Live telecasts
Saturday, Jan. 19-Sunday, Jan. 20 7-9 p.m. on ESPN+
Saturday, Jan. 19-Sunday, Jan. 20 9 p.m.-7 a.m. on ESPN2
Sunday, Jan. 20 – Men’s Singles – Fourth Round
[4] Alexander Zverev vs. [16] Milos Raonic (10 p.m.)
Monday, Jan. 21 – Men’s Singles – Fourth Round
[11] Borna Coric vs. [28] Lucas Pouille (1 a.m.)
[23] Pablo Carreno Busta vs. [8] Kei Nishikori (2 a.m.)
[1] Novak Djokovic vs. [15] Daniil Medvedev (5 a.m.)
Sunday, Jan. 20 – Women’s Singles – Fourth Round
[17] Madison Keys vs. [6] Elina Svitolina (7 p.m.)
[4] Naomi Osaka vs. [13] Anastasija Sevastova (8 p.m.)
Monday, Jan. 21 – Women’s Singles – Fourth Round
[18] Garbina Muguruza vs. [7] Karolina Pliskova (12 a.m.)
[1] Simona Halep vs. [16] Serena Williams (3 a.m.)
Same-Day encore telecasts on ESPN2
Sunday, Jan. 20 9-11 a.m.
Monday, Jan. 21 2-5 p.m.
Quarterfinals
Live telecasts
Monday, Jan. 21-Tuesday, Jan. 22 7-9 p.m. on ESPN+
Monday, Jan. 21 9 p.m.-2 a.m. on ESPN2
Late Monday, Jan. 21 3-6 a.m. on ESPN2
Tuesday, Jan. 22 9 p.m.-2 a.m. on ESPN2
Late Tuesday, Jan. 22 3:30-6 a.m. on ESPN2
Women’s Singles – Quarterfinals
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs. Danielle Collins (Jan. 21 10:30 p.m.)
[8] Petra Kvitova vs. [15] Ashleigh Barty (late Jan. 21/early Jan. 22 3 a.m.)
[4] Naomi Osaka vs. [6] Elina Svitolina (Jan. 22 8 p.m.)
[16] Serena Williams vs. [7] Karolina Pliskova (late Jan. 22 10 p.m.)
Men’s Singles – Quarterfinals
[22] Roberto Bautista Agut vs. [14] Stefanos Tsitsipaa (Jan. 21 8:30 p.m.)
Frances Tiafoe vs. [2] Rafael Nadal (late Jan. 21/early Jan. 22 5 a.m.)
[16] Milos Raonic vs. [28] Lucas Pouille (Jan. 22 11 p.m.)
[1] Novak Djokovic vs. [8] Kei Nishikori (late Jan. 22/early Jan. 23 3:30 a.m.)
Same-Day encore telecasts on ESPN2
Tuesday, Jan. 22 noon-2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 23 2-5 p.m.
Women’s Semifinals (Live, ESPN2)
[8] Petra Kvitova vs. Danielle Collins (Wednesday, Jan. 23 10:00 p.m.)
[4] Naomi Osaka vs. [7] Karolina Pliskova (late Jan. 23/early Jan. 24 midnight)
Men’s Semifinals
Live telecasts
Late Wednesday, Jan. 22 3:30-6 a.m. (ESPN/ESPN Deportes)
[14]
Stefanos Tsitsipaa vs. [2]
Rafael Nadal
Late Thursday, Jan. 24 3:30-6 a.m. (ESPN/ESPN Deportes)
[1] Novak Djokovic vs. [28] Lucas Pouille
Same-Day encore telecasts
Thursday, Jan. 24-Friday, Jan. 25 2-5 p.m. (ESPN2)
Mixed Doubles Semifinals
Thursday, Jan. 24 11 p.m. (Live, ESPN+)
Women’s Doubles Championship
Thursday, Jan. 24 11 p.m. (Live, ESPN+)
Boys’ and Girls’ Championships
Friday, Jan. 25 9 p.m.-3:30 a.m. (Live, ESPN+)
Women’s Championship
Late Friday, Jan. 25 3:30-5:30 a.m. (Live, ESPN/ESPN Deportes)
Men’s Doubles Championship
Late Friday, Jan. 25 5:30 a.m. (Live, ESPN+)
Women’s Championship
Saturday, Jan. 26 9 a.m.-noon (Encore, ESPN2)
Mixed Doubles Championship
Late Saturday, Jan. 26 12-2 a.m. (Live, ESPN+)
Men’s Championship
Late Saturday, Jan. 26 3:30-6:30 a.m. (Live, ESPN/ESPN Deportes)
Sunday, Jan. 27 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Encore, ESPN2)
Sunday, Jan. 27 11 p.m.-1:30 a.m. (Encore, ESPN2)
