"Women’s sports coverage by all media must make more progress" - Billie Jean King amid American broadcaster's record numbers for Serena Williams' US Open match
Serena Williams' third-round match at the 2022 US Open, potentially her final career match, made broadcasting history by becoming ESPN's most-watched tennis match of all time. In light of the same, tennis legend Billie Jean King has called for more impetus in coverage of women's sports across the media.
Williams' match against Ajla Tomljanovic last weekend averaged 4.8 million viewers, the most for any tennis match since ESPN started 43 years ago. Viewership ratings peaked during the deciding set of the match, with 6.9 million viewers concurrently tuned in to catch the action.
Billie Jean King welcomed the momentous development and feels that the numbers and the coverage in itself should further improve for women's sports, across channels and mediums.
"ESPN launched on this day in 1979, making today its 43rd birthday. Serena’s last match made history for ESPN by averaging 4.8 million viewers, making it ESPN's most-watched tennis match in its history. But women’s sports coverage by all media must make more progress," King wrote on Twitter.
ESPN launched on this day in 1979, making today its 43rd birthday.
Serena’s last match made history for ESPN by averaging 4.8 million viewers, making it ESPN's most-watched tennis match in its history.
But women’s sports coverage by all media must make more progress.
King, who was present in the stands throughout the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion's US Open campaign, even delivered a special speech for Williams on the opening night of the tournament.
The Serena Williams-Ajla Tomljanovic match broke ESPN's previous record of 3.9 million average viewership for the 2012 Wimbledon final between Roger Federer and Andy Murray. Williams' second-round match at the 2022 US Open, against World No. 2 Anett Kontaveit, also came close to the previous record, averaging 3.6 million viewers.
Williams' opening match against Danka Kovinic averaged 2.7 million viewers. The buzz surrounding Williams also led to the first five days of the 2022 US Open being the most watched in ESPN's all-time coverage of the New York Grand Slam.
Now that is an entrance, @serenawilliams.
#USOpen https://t.co/vpdNSWcTes
"I'll never forget that day" - Billie Jean King recalls first meeting with young Serena Williams
During her tribute speech to Serena Williams, Billie Jean King took a trip down memory lane, reflecting upon the day she met six-year-old Serena Williams and her sister Venus Williams for the very first time. Back then, King asked the younger of the Williams sisters if she could see her serve, and was impressed right away upon catching a glimpse of the same.
King called Williams' serve the "most beautiful serve ever" in tennis history.
"We first met in April of 1988, when she was six years old and her sister was seven years old at a tennis clinic where we had 1200 kids in Long Beach, California. I'll never forget that day," Billie Jean King said.
"Here are these two kids that come out, so we have them hit and then I had Serena hit. And then I said, can you serve? She says ‘Yeah, I can serve.’ I said ‘can I see it, please? Can we all see it?’ And mama Oracene [Price] was there. Anyway, Serena serves and I told her don't change a thing. And we saw that tonight. Her serve is by far the most beautiful serve ever in the history of our sport," she added.
After Serena Williams' US Open exit, 12-time Grand Slam singles champion King hailed the American superstar through a post on Twitter. King believes that Williams will achieve and contribute a lot more off the court, despite her numerous incredible achievements over a 27-year-long tennis career.
Her incredible career made its mark on tennis history.
And yet her greatest contributions may be yet to come.
Thank you, @serenawilliams.
Your journey continues.
#serena #USOpen twitter.com/usopen/status/…