With the 2022 Australian Open (AO) due to begin on 17 January, Tennis Australia has announced an extended and expanded broadcast partnership with African broadcaster, SuperSport.

The new partnership will see the partnership extend until at least 2026, which will see the partnership reach 20 years, after it first began in 2006.

SuperSport will expand their Australian Open coverage into 54 countries in Africa, with more than 650 hours of multi-platform coverage over a minimum of two simultaneous linear TV feeds, SuperSport Grandstand and SuperSport Tennis, holding both linear and digital rights for the continent.

SuperSport will also have online coverage via its mobile and internet services with live and on-demand broadcast, and extensive additional online reporting of news, results and videos.

Tennis Australia CEO and Australian Open tournament director, Craig Tiley, said: “We are delighted to extend our agreement with SuperSport and are excited to work with them to widen our fan base and reach new audiences across Africa.”

“Through innovation. multi-platform exposure and SuperSport’s commitment to their most comprehensive coverage ever of the AO and lead-in events, sports fans will be able to follow the fun and excitement of the action as never before this January,” Tiley said.

SuperSport chief executive, Marc Jury, said the company will also collaborate with Tennis Australia for the first time to showcase new AO originals programs, exclusive lifestyle and entertainment programming content, across their DsTV channels, Showmax platform and social media.

“Our association with the Australian Open is one of the longest in our history, and one that SuperSport is particularly proud of,” Jury said.

“The event is never less than world class and offers consistent excellence, sporting theatre and drama.

“It is a wonderful reflection of our own values and ensures that we parade the very best of tennis, and indeed sport, across the continent, where the appetite for big-time tennis is significant,” he said.