TV ratings were high for Serena Williams' last US Open.. Serena Williams’ goodbye to U.S. Open a ratings boon to ESPN
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Serena Williams’ long goodbye to the U.S. Open proved a boon to ESPN. Facing down the possibility of a first-round knockout, Williams instead gave the sports network four nights of prime-time programming last week, with her eventual loss to Ajla Tomljanovic reaching the largest audience of any tennis match in ESPN’s 43-year history.
ESPN happily adjusted on the fly, asking Open officials to move Williams’ doubles match with her sister Venus to Thursday evening, and moving a college football game off its main network on Friday to make room for the match with Tomljanovic.
That Friday match reached 4.8 million viewers, peaking at 6.9 million, the Nielsen company said. It beat the previous record-holder, the 2012 Wimbledon men’s final between Roger Federer and Andy Murray.
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