Australian Open crowds surge as Nine locks in Wimbledon in long-term tennis rights play

Australia’s love affair with tennis is translating into both packed stadiums and record-breaking broadcast audiences, with the 2026 Australian Open delivering new all-time attendance highs while Nine doubles down on the sport through a multi-year extension for Wimbledon.

Australian Open 2026 attracted 1.36 million total attendees across the three-week tournament, including 1.1 million fans through the gates for the main draw, beating the previous record set in 2025.

On screen, the tournament also delivered blockbuster results for Nine across free-to-air and streaming, proving yet again tennis’ status as one of the most resilient sports assets in the local market.

The men’s singles final, which saw Carlos Alcaraz defeat Novak Djokovic, reached 6.3 million Australians nationally, with a total TV average audience of 3.4 million, up 67% year-on-year. BVOD viewing surged to 905,000, up 135.7%, making it the highest rating men’s final Australian Open session in VOZ history and the highest rating men’s final since 2017.

The women’s singles final, featuring Elena Rybakina defeating Aryna Sabalenka, was Australia’s no.1 program on Saturday, with a national total TV reach of 3.8 million, with a total TV average audience of 2.135 million (up 30.1% year-on-year) and 500,000 BVOD viewers. It was also the highest rating Australian Open session on BVOD in history on 9Now and the highest rating women’s final since Ash Barty’s 2022 win.

Against this backdrop of surging demand, Nine confirmed it has secured the exclusive Australian broadcast rights to Wimbledon through to 2029, extending its partnership with the All England Lawn Tennis Club in a major multi-year deal spanning the 9Network, 9Now and Stan Sport.

With the extension, Nine becomes the only Australian broadcaster holding rights to all four Grand Slam tournaments - the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. Matt Stanton, chief executive officer, Nine, said Wimbledon remains one of the most prestigious properties in global sport and a cornerstone of the group’s premium sport strategy.

“This extension reflects our disciplined approach to rights investment and our confidence in the enduring value of premium sport delivered at scale,” Stanton said.

Amanda Laing, managing director, streaming and broadcast, Nine, said the agreement reflects how Nine views major sport not as a single broadcast moment, but as a multi-platform experience.

“Through the 9Network, 9Now and Stan Sport, our role is to make Wimbledon accessible, immersive and relevant for Australian audiences, wherever and however they choose to watch,” Laing said.

Paul Davies, associate director, broadcast, production and media rights at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, said Nine’s free-to-air reach combined with its streaming footprint will ensure Wimbledon continues to be experienced by millions of Australians.