Nine celebrates bumper ratings for Sinner’s AO final triumph
Nine Entertainment is once again celebrating an Australian Open viewership win in the wake of strong numbers during the men’s final of the first tennis grand slam of 2024.
Nine Entertainment’s coverage reached an impressive 4.77 million as Italian sensation Jannik Sinner triumphed over Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in a five-set men’s final classic on Sunday night in Melbourne, drawing in 314,000 on-demand viewers.
The total national reach of the men’s final far surpassed other sporting events held on January 28, including the Australia versus West Indies cricket test match (2.21 million) and the women’s T20 cricket match between Australia and South Africa (1.11 million).
The brilliant Sinner clawed back from two sets down to claim his maiden major from the luckless Medvedev, who was the tournament’s runner-up in 2021-22. The first Australian Open final since 2005 to not feature any of the ‘big three’ of Novak Djokovic (who Sinner upset in the semis), Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer did not prevent a ratings bonanza.
Saturday’s women’s singles final, in which Aryna Sabalenka retained her title with a convincing win against first-time grand slam finalist Qinwen Zheng, attracted 3.26 million viewers. The one-sided decider had a peak viewership of 1.49 million, marking a 15 percent increase compared to the previous year’s final. Additionally, the women’s final also saw a substantial on-demand audience of 162,000 viewers, reflecting a remarkable 68 percent year-on-year growth.
Overall, Nine Network’s coverage of AO 2024 captivated a staggering total of 10.1 million viewers throughout the tournament. The tournament experienced a surge in social media mentions, recording a staggering 1108 percent increase with over 1.5 million mentions thus far.
Having secured coverage rights for Melbourne’s Australian Open since 2020, Nine Entertainment’s commitment to showcasing premier tennis action remains steadfast, with their coverage deal extending through the 2029 edition of the tournament.
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports Europe, the regional division of the renowned media and entertainment conglomerate, also celebrated record-breaking digital audiences during the AO 2024’s first week.
WBD holds exclusive rights across Europe for the Australian Open as part of a 10-year agreement signed with the Tennis Australia governing body in 2021. This partnership spans until 2031, enabling WBD to showcase the tournament across its pan-European sports broadcaster Eurosport and Discovery+ streaming services, further enhancing the global reach and appeal of this premier tennis event.
