EXCLUSIVE: Greg Rusedski insists Amazon move can be good for tennis in the UK

Greg Rusedski has played down fears that the ATP Tour’s move to the Amazon streaming service in 2019 will affect the popularity of the sport in the UK.
Rusedski has been one of the lead pundits in Sky Sports’ outstanding coverage of tennis in recent years, but the satellite broadcaster opted to step away from the sport after failing to compete with Amazon to extend their deal with the ATP.
The move to a streaming service has been viewed as risky for the sport and many tennis fans have expressed their annoyance that tennis will no longer be on Sky, but former word No.4 Rusedski insists the sport will continue to flourish on a new platform.
“I don’t think it is a worry for the game that Amazon have now taken over coverage of the ATP Tour,” Rusedski told Tennis365 in an exclusive interview.
“I have enjoyed my time working at Sky, but things move on. They have done a great job of bringing tennis to a wide audience in the UK over the last couple of decades, but their time has now come an end.
“Sky could have stayed in tennis if they wanted to, but they have decided to go a different direction and I am not concerned by the change to the way we will watch tennis in 2019.
“Streaming is the future for me, no question about it. In the future, I don’t see people paying £100 a month for their sports package when a channel like Amazon is available for £80-a-year.
“I see this as the future. In a few years time, everyone will be watching their sports, movies and dramas on streaming services and this is just the transitional period getting us there.
“Tennis will always be a popular sport. The viewing figures are always great for the big events and people will still be watching next year even if the ATP Tour is not on Sky any more.
“Move the clock forward a few years and there is no doubt in my mind that it will not be viewed as unusual for sport to be moved to a streaming service. The way we have got used to watching TV is changing and that cannot be stopped now.”
More from Tennis365:
-
-
Tennis betting special: Rafael Nadal 11/10 to continue Grand Slam streak in 2019
-
Andy Murray offers possible solutions to tactical toilet breaks and medical timeouts
-
Top 10: The best servers of 2018 by unique metric – does Roger Federer feature?
-
2018 Report Card: Kyle Edmund made strides but maybe missed out on leaps
-
-
Latest
-
ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz off the mark in Miami as Jimmy Connors explains why he is head and shoulders above his peers
Carlos Alcaraz up and running in Miami as Jimmy Connors waxes lyrical about Spaniard.
-
WTA Tour
WTA accused of ignoring request for meeting with Ukrainian players – ‘Just silence’
Ukrainian players want to meet with the WTA board.
-
Tennis News
Frances Tiafoe calls on rigid tennis to get with the times in order ‘to bring younger fans to the game’
Do you think tennis fans should be able to come and go and speak during matches?
-
French Open
Former world No 1 assesses Carlos Alcaraz’s chances of winning 2023 French Open
Can Carlos Alcaraz beat both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros?
-
Tennis News
Marcelo Rios not a fan of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as they are not ‘entertaining,’ describes tennis as ‘boring’
Marcelo Rios feels Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are “not entertaining” on the court.
-
ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz described as the ‘Mike Tyson of tennis’ due to ‘brutal power and speed’
Carlos Alcaraz 🤝 Mike Tyson.
-
WTA Tour
Victoria Azarenka rebuffs claims of tension in locker room, fires back at Iga Swiatek over Ukraine comments
Victoria Azarenka has hit back at Iga Swiatek over her comments.
-
Tennis News
Stefanos Tsitsipas believes in the message of ubuntu
Stefanos Tsitsipas believes in the message of ubuntu.