Sky Sports is expanding its sports broadcasting with the introduction of Sky Sports Tennis, a new channel dedicated exclusively to tennis in the UK and Ireland.
Set to launch on February 11, 2024, the channel aims to offer an extensive range of tennis content, featuring more than 80 tournaments annually, including the ATP & WTA Tours and the US Open.
This new venture is set to provide tennis enthusiasts with a mix of live tournament coverage and expert commentary.
The first week of programming includes the Hologic WTA Tour in Doha and the ATP Tour in Rotterdam, showcasing top-ranked players like Coco Gauff and Rafael Nadal.
Sky Sports Tennis will be available via Sky, its streaming service NOW and pay-TV platforms like Virgin Media and EE (see below for more details).
Comprehensive Tennis Coverage
The new channel, Sky Sports Tennis, aims to be a comprehensive source for tennis broadcasting, featuring over 4,000 matches from more than 80 tournaments on the ATP & WTA Tours, including the exclusive live coverage of the US Open.
This development follows Sky’s acquisition of the broadcasting rights for these major tennis tournaments, which indicates another strategic expansion in Sky’s sports broadcasting domain.
The channel’s initial programming is poised to capture the attention of tennis fans with a diverse lineup of tournaments and star players.
The first week of broadcasting will showcase live coverage from the Hologic WTA Tour tournament in Doha, offering viewers a chance to watch top-ranked players such as Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur, Aryna Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka, and Iga Swiatek.
Following this, the ATP Tour action from Rotterdam will take centre stage, featuring notable tennis stars like Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Andrey Rublev, and Daniil Medvedev, from February 19.
Sky Sports Tennis coverage of the biggest events will be analysed by former top British players Tim Henman and Laura Robson, and presented by Gigi Salmon with the well-known voice of Jonathan Overend on commentary.
In addition to the live coverage, Sky Sports Tennis will host a range of additional programming, including big-name interviews, behind-the-scenes access, and expert insights on some of the biggest matches and moments of the year.
Sky Sports Managing Director, Jonathan Licht, said: “It’s an exciting moment for Sky Sports as we launch a new home for tennis fans, and Sky Sports Tennis will give millions of homes easy access to watch the best players in the world all year round.
“We’re proud to be the undisputed home of live sport for fans in the UK and Ireland, and this new channel will add value for our customers, enabling them to enjoy even more of the sports they love.”
How to Watch Sky Sports Tennis
Sky Sports Tennis offers various ways for viewers to tune in – either directly via Sky, or its streaming service NOW, from February 11.
For Sky Sports Subscribers:
Sky Sports Tennis will be available to customers with the Complete, Action, and Arena packages, on any of Sky’s devices – Sky Q (or older), Sky Glass and Sky Stream.
Subscribers will be able to watch on Sky via the mobile app or the Sky TV app or use the red button for additional live court streams.
The new channel will be found on Sky Channel 408 from February 11, moving to Sky Channel 407 on February 13.
Voice Control function is also available for Sky Glass, Stream, or Q remote users – use search terms like “Sky Tennis”, “Sky Sports Tennis”, or “Tennis channel” for easy navigation.
Via Sky’s NOW Service:
Live matches will be streamable via a NOW Sports Day (£11.99 per day) and Month Memberships (£34.99/month) , on supported devices that have the NOW TV app.
In addition to the live events, select catch-up content will be available on demand.
Virgin Media, EE TV And TalkTalk Customers
Sky Sports Tennis will also be available on these pay-TV platforms.
On Virgin Media TV, Sky Sports Tennis will be available to those who add the Sky Sports add-on.
On EE TV and TalkTalk, Sky is “represented” via NOW – so the new tennis channel will be available to those who subscribe to NOW Sports via EE or TalkTalk.
Viewers on these platforms will be able to access multiple live court streams via the Sky Sports mobile app and the red button service.
A very expensive set up for tennis fans who doubtless are already subscribing to Prime and Netflix.