TNT Sports begins the first year of a multi-year arrangement with the French Open next month, as the network will be paying over 600 million dollars for the two-week event every May. According to The New York Times, TNT Sports has reached an agreement with eight-time Grand Slam winner Andre Agassi to serve as a studio commentator for the tournament.
Agassi, a one-time French Open winner in 1999, has worked on a very limited basis in television since his retirement from the sport following the 2006 US Open. Now, he joins what is expected to be TNT’s lead commentary team, which will feature Brian Anderson and John McEnroe.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reports that TNT has yet to comment on the matter.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest American-born tennis players of all time, Agassi boasts a career singles record of 870-274 with 60 career titles. Turning pro at the age of 16 in 1986, he quickly made a name for himself, winning his first top-level singles title in 1987 at the Sul American Open. By the time he turned 18, Agassi had already climbed into the top 25 players in the world rankings.
Although Agassi has done some television work previously for the Tennis Channel, he has never held a consistent broadcasting role. Instead, much of his post-tennis career has been dedicated to philanthropy, particularly through his Andre Agassi Charitable Association, which he founded in 1994.
Additionally, The New York Times notes that TNT Sports had discussions with other American-born players, including Jim Courier and Lindsay Davenport, about joining the French Open coverage. In the end, TNT Sports announced that Adam Lefkoe will serve as the studio host for the tournament.
Previously, the French Open was housed on NBC, which had aired the tournament since 1983. However, with this new 10-year agreement, TNT Sports will now serve as the lead network for coverage, averaging $65 million per year—a significant increase from the $12 million annually that the French Tennis Federation had been receiving from NBC and Tennis Channel for U.S. rights. As part of the deal, TNT will provide primary coverage, while additional matches will air on TBS and truTV. Furthermore, every match from the tournament will also be available for streaming on Max.
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