ESPN will broadcast extensive coverage of the ATP/WTA Western & Southern Open – traditionally held in Cincinnati but being held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York for the first time.
Coverage begins with an eight-hour telecast Saturday, August 22nd, with an event-record 44 hours of programming planned across ESPN and ESPN2.
Coverage will continue daily, including 10 hours on Tuesday, August 25th; eight hours of quarterfinal action on Wednesday; all four semifinals during an eight-hour telecast on Thursday and the championships back-to-back Friday at 2pm (WTA) and 4pm (ATP).
During Thursday’s coverage of the semi-finals, the US Open draws will be announced.
Danill Medvedev and Madison Keys will be looking to defend their titles. The men’s field will be led by Novak Djokovic, the top-ranked player in the world and winner of 17 Major titles.
Others include Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev and John Isner. Karolina Pliskova will lead the women’s field, which also includes Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens, Coco Gauff, Venus Williams Sofia Kenin, Kiki Bertens and Belinda Bencic.
The ESPN team on hand in New York includes Darren Cahill, Mary Joe Fernandez, Chris Fowler, Brad Gilbert, Jason Goodall, Patrick McEnroe, Chris McKendry and Rennae Stubbs.
ESPN’s exclusive first-ball-to-last-ball coverage of the US Open, tennis’ second Major event of the year in 2020, will follow the Western & Southern Open at the National Tennis Center, beginning Monday, August 31st.
Also, the day before the first ball in the air, ESPN2 will air SportsCenter at the US Open at 11am ET to preview the tournament Sunday, August 30th.
ATP/WTA Programme Schedule
Date | Time (ET) | Event | Network |
Sat Aug 22 | 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Western & Southern OpenFirst Round | ESPN |
5 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Western & Southern OpenFirst Round | ESPN2 | |
Sun Aug 23 | 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Western & Southern OpenFirst/Second Round | ESPN2 |
Mon Aug 24 | 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Western & Southern OpenSecond Round | ESPN2 |
Tue Aug 25 | 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Western & Southern OpenMen’s & Women’s Round of 16 | ESPN2 |
7 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Western & Southern OpenMen’s & Women’s Round of 16 | ESPN | |
Wed Aug 26 | 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Western & Southern OpenMen’s & Women’s Quarterfinals | ESPN2 |
Thu Aug 27 | 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Western & Southern OpenMen’s & Women’s Semifinals | ESPN2 |
Fri Aug 28 | 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Western & Southern OpenWomen’s Championship | ESPN2 |
4 p.m. – 6 p.m. | Western & Southern OpenMen’s Championship | ESPN2 |