Serena Williams breaks 10-year record held by Roger Federer and Andy Murray at her US Open farewell
Serena Williams garnered the numbers in her tennis farewell and deservedly so.
Playing the final match of her illustrious career at the US Open, Williams drew a massive crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium and off it as well. The 23-time Grand Slam winner had millions of fans glued to their television screens.
An average of 4.6 million viewers tuned in to ESPN's telecast of Williams' third-round match against Ajla Tomljanovic, making it the most-watched tennis telecast in the sports network's 43-year history.
Serena's 3rd round match | 4.8M viewers on avg., 6.9M peak
#SerenaWilliams' #USOpen swan song last Friday night was ESPN's most-watched tennis telecast on record
🎾 Serena's 3rd round match | 4.8M viewers on avg., 6.9M peak
🎾 Thru 5 days, ESPN's most-watched @usopen (coverage began '09)
More: bit.ly/3cPHRV0 https://t.co/lpHZJfkf7c
Viewership peaked at 6.9 million, according to the ESPN Press Room website.
New York Times journalist Christopher Clarey called it "The Serena Effect" in a tweet.
The #Serena effect
Her "farewell" match was the most viewed tennis telecast on record in ESPN's 43-year history
An average of 4.6 million viewers/peaked at 6.9 million https://t.co/i0AybIEcHz
The average viewership of 4.6 million eclipsed the previous record of 3.9 million set by Roger Federer and Andy Murray in the 2012 Wimbledon final.
The first five days of the US Open attracted an average of 1.1 million viewers, also setting a record for the most viewed first five days of the tournament on ESPN networks. This was 101 percent higher from last year, according to the same article on ESPN Press Room.
The five-day span included Serena Williams' first-to-third-round matches and her doubles reunion with big sister Venus, all setting their own respective records on the sports network.
On the opening day of the US Open, where Williams played her first match against Danka Kovinic and subsequently received a tribute, ESPN garnered the largest viewership numbers for an opening day at the New York Major with an average of 843,000 viewers.
The evening doubleheader, with Williams and Kovinic featuring in the first match, became the most-watched opening-day prime-time US Open telecast ever with an average of seven million viewers. Williams and Kovinic's match, specifically, attracted an average of 2.7 million viewers.
On Day 3 and in another night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Serena Williams won against Anett Kontaveit in the second round, attracting an average of 3.6 million viewers. The numbers peaked at five million. The entire prime-time telecast became the 10th-most-watched US Open telecast ever as it averaged 2.3 million viewers, up by 289 percent from last year.
The day’s entire 12.5-hour coverage garnered an average of 1.4 million viewers, the largest of any ESPN telecast in the first three rounds of the US Open.
On Day 4, ESPN2’s prime-time coverage of the Williams sisters’ doubles reunion garnered 2.2 million viewers on average, becoming the third-most-viewed third-round telecast of all time on ESPN networks.
Serena Williams spends 1st retirement weekend cozy in bed
Serena Williams left many heartbroken after revealing her decision to "evolve away from tennis" early last month.
While fans still haven't gotten over her final match – and celebratory twirl – after losing to Ajla Tomljanovic, Williams seems to be at peace, as evidenced by her latest Instagram post.
Wrapped in a blanket designed with a huge image of Disney cartoon character Moana, Williams could be seen snuggling in bed.
"How was your weekend? This was mine," she captioned the post.
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