Verdict is in on the brand new Sky Sports Tennis channel

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

Britain and Ireland were gifted their first tennis channel as Sky Sports launched their new service on February 11 – and the initial verdict is that this will be a huge boost for the sport in one of its most important markets.

If you looked at the reaction on social media to the return of Sky to the tennis landscape in the UK, you could have been forgiven for believing the new tennis channel was not being well received.

Yet you need to peel under the surface of the vocal and demanding audience who were used to the service they were getting on Amazon Prime’s tennis coverage over the last few years and didn’t want it to change.

Here is the Tennis365 verdict after a week of the Sky Sports Tennis channel:

WHAT’S ON OFFER?

The channel started by offering viewers an exclusive interview with Emma Raducanu, as their broadcast team in Doha enjoyed the access available on-site at a tournament by landing an exclusive chat with one of the biggest stars in British tennis.

Within minutes they also served upon exclusive interviews with Naomi Osaka and Jannik Sinner, which was a huge step up from what we could have expected from previous broadcasts tournaments in recent years.

Respected commentator Jonathan Overend is leading the commentary team on Sky and they have shown themselves to be knowledgeable and passionate about the sport, with former British No 1 Laura Robson a stand-out contributor.

TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

British fans have been denied the chance to watch some tournaments in recent years, but Sky Sports Tennis has had all bases covered in the first week.

Extensive coverage is available on the red button of tournaments in Doha, Rotterdam, Buenos Aires and Delray Beach, with the Sky Sports app also coming into its own as matches from around the world are available at the touch of a button.

One complaint from Sky’s critics as they return to tennis broadcasting was the lack of a red button option to watch other tournaments over the first month of 2024, but that issue has been addressed impressively over the first week of Sky Sports Tennis.

THE COST ISSUE

Sky Sports is more expensive to purchase than Amazon Prime, yet that is because it offers so much sport.

Premier League football, cricket, Formula 1 and darts are among the most watched on Sky and if you are a fan of a wide range of sports, the value for money offered by the broadcaster is put into perspective.

Some social media critics of the Sky tennis deal argue they only want to watch tennis and have no interest in any other sport and they look to control costs by just signing up to NOW TV for tournaments they want to watch rather than agreeing to an annual Sky contract.

READ MORE: Former British No 1 on why rumours of big changes in tennis could be good news

REPLAY COMPLAINTS

UK tennis fans have got used to the luxury of pressing a button and watching the match they want on demand and Sky Sports Tennis is not offering this service.

Yet Sky Sports don’t offer that for any of their sports and they are not likely to start with tennis.

Moaning fans of social media who are frustrated that cannot start a match and return to it at a later date after they have taken their dog for a walk need to get used to recording matches on Sky Sports Tennis and their ‘problem’ will be solved.

VERDICT

Sky Sports Tennis is a solid gold triumph on so many levels.

They have had comprehensive coverage of tournaments around the world and have also shown wheelchair tennis from Rotterdam to highlight the depth of their passion for the sport.

There will always be critics who are not open to change, but Sky Sports will take tennis to the next level, with the presence of tennis on big screens in pubs across the UK and Ireland in the first few days of the channel evidence of its immediate impact.

Pubs and bars would not have put tennis on their screens if it were not the only live sporting action on during the daytime hours, while the 24-hour channel Sky Sports News will also promote the sport relentlessly from now on.

There will be critics and some who want a tailored service may find reasons to complain, but Sky Sports Tennis is a welcome addition to the sporting landscape and if the first week is a sign of what is to come, the future is bright for tennis broadcasting in the UK and Ireland.