Sparkling new tennis channel launches in the UK and Ireland – here’s what to expect

Kevin Palmer
Sky Sports Tennis channel has launched
Sky Sports Tennis channel has launched

The UK and Ireland have tennis channel for the first time after Sky Sports launched their new service that promises to take coverage of the sport to the next level.

Sky Sports have taken over from Amazon Prime, who held the contract to broadcast tennis in the UK and Ireland for five years, but walked away from the sport at the end of 2023.

Now the most successful sports broadcasting platform in Britain has the deal to show the ATP and WTA Tours, with Sky chiefs promising a huge range of coverage on a channel that will run 24 hours a day.

WHAT TOURNAMENTS ARE SKY SPORTS SHOWING?

Pretty much everything from the ATP and WTA Tours.

Sky’s coverage so far has seen them quickly switch from one event to the next, with their coverage of Emma Raducanu and other stars at the Abu Dhabi event mixed with matches on the WTA Tour in Romania and on the ATP Tour in Marseille in recent days.

They will have a team on-site in Doha for the star-studded WTA 1000 event in Doha over the next few days and their coverage will ramp up as they broadcast multi-court coverage from the Indian Wells and Miami ATP and WTA 1000 events next month.

NOT JUST LIVE ACTION

Sky Sports Tennis is screening a new high-quality documentary entitled Young Guns: The New Tennis Titans, which looks at the rise of stars from Carlos Alcaraz to Emma Raducanu, Coco Gauff and Jack Draper.

Tennis fans in the UK and Ireland can expect more of this kind of content, which would take coverage of the sport to the next level.

Previous broadcasters have screened the matches and little else, but Sky Sports appear to be ready to go to the next stage with their tennis coverage.

SKY SPORTS TEAM

Host Gigi Salmon and lead commentator Johnathan Overend will be joined by regular analysts and former British No 1’s Tim Henman and Laura Robson.

The quartet will be joined by other ex-players and special guest for big events like the Indian Wells and Miami Open tournaments, with the level of analysis of the game set to go to the next level.

Sky have revolutionised the broadcasting landscape on the UK and Ireland with their sports coverage over the last three decades and tennis fans can expect more of the same now that tennis is back on their platform.

READ MORE: Sky Sports commentator speaks to Tennis365 about Andy Murray’s tennis legacy

WHAT ABOUT GRAND SLAMS?

Existing broadcasting agreements mean Sky Sports only have the US Open on their roster for now, but they will no doubt be keen to enhance their offering of the majors.

The challenge for broadcasters who have the ATP and WTA Tour deals and not coverage of the four Grand Slams is the period in June and July that is dominated by the French Open and Wimbledon.

That leaves several weeks when Sky Sports Tennis will lack live action and they will need to find a solution to that issue.

WHAT THEY SAY

Gigi Salmon, Sky Sports Tennis host: “It’s so exciting that tennis is back on Sky. Everyone around Sky is putting so much into the launch of this new channel and I’m sure tennis fans will enjoy it. Some are resistant to change and I understand that, but we have fantastic things coming this year. We are so determined to draw in new fans and keep the current fans happy as well.”

Laura Robson, Sky Sports Tennis analyst: “We have been waiting for a tennis channel in Britain for so long and now we finally have one. I’m so excited to be part of the Sky team. I was in the office for the first time the other day, got my security pass and it felt like the start of something new and exciting for our sport. Sky are the best in the business for broadcasting sports and I’m sure they will do a great job with tennis. I know I will have the tennis channel on all day from now on. It’s going to be great to have tennis whenever you want it.”

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