Record audience at Wimbledon
The Wimbledon women’s final between Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova became the most watched in the history of ESPN for the Grand Slam on grass. The match, played on Saturday, averaged 1.9 million viewers.
That represents a 48% increase from last year’s final, when Iga Swiatek defeated Amanda Anisimova in straight sets. On that occasion, the victory was resounding: 6-0, 6-0 in just 57 minutes.
Noskova won 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, after wasting five match points and a 5-2 lead in the second set. The match generated drama in the middle of the match, which contributed to the interest of the audience.
ESPN has broadcast Wimbledon since 2003 and has had exclusive rights since 2012. Overall, this edition was the network’s second most watched, only behind 2019, when Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in five sets and Simona Halep defeated Serena Williams.
Serena Williams’ return to Grand Slam tennis after almost four years of absence also boosted viewership. Their Day 2 match averaged 1.8 million viewers, despite taking place on a Tuesday afternoon in the United States.
Men’s final and figures in Italy
Sunday’s men’s final, in which Jannik Sinner defeated Alexander Zverev in four sets, averaged 2.4 million viewers on ESPN. That figure is 16% lower than in 2025, when Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz also in four sets.
In Italy, where Sinner is the most popular athlete, the final was watched by 4.2 million average viewers, with a 33.8% audience share according to Sky Italia. The year before, Sinner’s victory over Alcaraz reached 5.7 million viewers.
The finals began at 11 a.m. Eastern time in the United States and at 5 p.m. in Italy.
