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ESPN+ to Offer ‘First Ball to Last Ball Coverage’ of the Australian Open January 16-30

Whether there’s Djokovic or No-kovic, ESPN will be covering the heck out of this year’s Australian Open.

Starting Sunday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, tennis fans can watch live “first ball to last ball coverage” across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, and ESPN3 from Melbourne will include every match from all 16 courts.

ESPN+ will offer more exclusive hours than ever, including the 3 a.m. featured matches and simulcasts of all linear TV coverage, from Day One through the Championships. The Women’s and Men’s Championships will air late on January 28 and 29, respectively, both at 3:30 a.m. with encore presentations later that day on ESPN2.

Here’s a handy breakdown of everything that’ll be available on each ESPN network (courtesy ESPN, all times ET:)

ESPN and ESPN2

  • Live nightly telecasts, generally beginning at 9 p.m. through the quarterfinals
  • Semifinals and Women’s and Men’s Championships, including encore presentations
  • ESPN2 with 35 additional hours in the afternoon with action from the previous day.

ESPN+

  • Exclusive coverage of all 224 matches from qualifying this week
  • Exclusive streaming up to 12 or more courts from the start of play each night at 7 p.m. including more exclusive hours such as two quarterfinals on Monday, Jan. 24, and two on Tuesday, Jan. 25 
  • Singles, doubles (men’s, women’s, mixed), wheelchair, legends and juniors, and on-demand replays of completed matches
  • New: Simulcasts of all ESPN and ESPN2 telecasts, from Day One through the Championships
  • A daily highlights show posted each day at 11 a.m.
  • New: On-demand replays of great matches in Australian Open history
  • All coverage on ESPN+ will be available in both English and Spanish

ABC

  • First-ever Australian Open coverage via new weekly one-hour highlights show, on Sunday, Jan. 23, at 4 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m.

ESPN3

  • All-day action from select courts
  • On-demand replays of completed matches

ESPN Deportes

  • On TV, ESPN Deportes will air live the women’s and men’s semis and both Championships, which are all also on ESPN+.
  • 30-minute pre-show leading into the Women’s and Men’s Championships
  • Coverage every day in Spanish on ESPN+
  • ESPNDeportes.com with news and information including results, recaps, and chats

Tennis isn’t the first outsider sport to feel the love from ESPN lately. PGA Tour golf just got a whole new slate of offerings from ESPN, including a prominent place on ESPN+. We’ve also seen ESPN add multiple hockey leagues, including the NHL, KHL, and PHF (formerly the NWHL), as well as collegiate athletics and more. ESPN knows live sports is the key for growth and is correctly doubling down on sports of any kind, not just football.

DTV STREAM Fubo Hulu Philo Sling TV YouTube
Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Get $10 Off Sign Up
$79.99 $91.99 $76.99 $25 $40 $40 $72.99
ABC - -
ESPN - -
ESPN Deportes + $15 + $6 + $5 - + $6 - -
ESPN2 - -
ESPN3 - + $10 - -

ESPN+

ESPN+ is a live TV streaming service that gives access to thousands of live sporting events, original shows like Peyton’s Place, the entire library of 30 for 30, E:60, The Last Dance, as well exclusive written analysis from top ESPN insiders. Sports available on ESPN+ include NFL, MLB, NHL, UFC, College Football, F1, Bundesliga, PGA Tour, La Liga, and more.

The service can be subscribed for $10.99 / month per month or annually for $109.99 / year.

You will get a daily out-of-market game from MLB, and every out-of-market NHL with NHL Power Play (previously NHL.TV). For NFL Fans, they have an exclusive NFL game, and simulcast select Monday Football games.

The service has some of the most attractive soccer coverage including Bundesliga, LaLiga, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredevise and more.

College sports fans will be able to watch thousands of games and events including football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, track & field, gymnastics, swimming & diving, lacrosse, wrestling, volleyball, golf, and more.

For boxing and UFC fans, the service offers Top Rank boxing and will be the home of 15 exclusive UFC events.

ESPN+ now includes exclusive insights from analysts like Mel Kiper and Todd McShay (which used to be part of ESPN Insider), as well as premium Fantasy Tools & PickCenter.

What it does not include is most live sports that air on ESPN and ESPN2.

To get access to those channels you have to subscribe to a live TV streaming service. We suggest reading our guide on How to Watch ESPN without Cable.


Jeff Kotuby is a contributing writer to The Streamable who specializes in sports, music, and all things Japanese media. He cut the cord in 2017 and has spent the last six years of his career writing for technology, entertainment, and healthcare websites. He's a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles and Anaheim Ducks fan, but also enjoys watching animated shows from the '90s.

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