Tennis returns to Sky Sports as pay-TV giant announces new US Open partnership
The US Open will return to Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland as he sports channel has confirmed it is has signed a new long-term partnership with the United States Tennis Association (USTA).
Sky Sports and the US Open go back a long way as they once enjoyed 25-year partnership, but the British company stopped broadcasting the season-ending Grand Slam in 2015 with streaming giant Amazon Prime airing the tournament in recent years.
But Sky will be back as the broadcaster from next year after signing a five-year deal with USTA.
A press release stated: “Sky Sports will have access to all individual court feeds, broadcasting a minimum of 135 hours of competition throughout the two-week Grand Slam tournament. Across Sky Sports’ linear channels and on Sky Sports digital and social channels, extensive coverage will provide content for both existing tennis fans and new audiences.
“The agreement includes coverage of both the men’s and women’s tournaments, alongside respective double’s, mixed doubles, juniors, and wheelchair competitions.”
The move to buy the rights for the US Open will no doubt have been inspired by British No 1 Emma Radacunu’s 2021 fairytale run at Flushing Meadows. The then 18-year-old became the first qualifier – man or woman – to win a Grand Slam as she won 10 matches without dropping a set.
Raducanu’s success has raised the profile of tennis in Britain and there was a major increase in young and old taking up the sport after her US Open win.
Great Britain has also had success in the men’s singles the past two decade as Andy Murray won the title in 2012 and also finished runner-up in 2008. In the men’s doubles Joe Salisbury won the title alongside Rajeev Ram from the United States in 2022 and 2021 while Salisbury and Desirae Krawczyk (US) won the mixed doubles title in 2021. Jamie Murray, meanwhile, won three consecutive mixed doubles titles from 2017 to 2019.
Jonathan Licht, MD Sky Sports said: “We are very excited to partner with the USTA once again to deliver the US Open, one of the greatest Grand Slam Tennis tournaments in the world.
“We have had a great history with the USTA and remember Andy Murray’s 2012 US Open win as one of the great moments on Sky Sports. This is another huge sporting event for our viewers, and we look forward to bringing tennis fans more of what they love and welcoming in new fans to the sport.”
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