It’s not every day that the GOAT in his or her sport decides to walk away. When that happens, fans rush to take in that player’s final moments. That is what is happening with Serena Williams right now and ESPN is reaping the benefits.
Both of the matches she has played at the US Open have been must-see TV for fans with all levels of dedication to tennis.
On Monday night, Williams opened what is expected to be her final event with a straight sets victory over Danka Kovinic. The telecast averaged 2.7 million viewers and peaked in the final quarter hour of the match with 3.1 million viewers. That is the biggest audience ever to tune in for the first day of the US Open.
Serena Williams delivered again for ESPN on Wednesday night. Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit is the second-ranked women’s player in the world and came into the match as the betting favorite. However, Williams pulled out a four-set victory seen by an audience of that peaked at 5 million.
ESPN has been cashing in on the interest even when Serena Williams is not playing. She did not play Tuesday night. The network still saw a 50% audience increase compared to the 2021 US Open.
