The first All-Williams Grand Slam final in five years gave NBC a boost on Saturday morning.
Wimbledon coverage on NBC, featuring Venus Williams‘ straight-set victory over Serena Williams, drew a 3.4 overnight from 9 AM to 2 PM Saturday. The 3.4 is up 21% from last year, when Venus defeated Marion Bartoli, and includes over two hours of coverage after the women’s final concluded. During the match itself, from 9-11:30 AM, NBC averaged a 4.5 overnight, peaking with a 5.1 at 11 AM.
The 3.4 overnight is the highest for the women’s final at Wimbledon since 2005, when Venus defeated fellow American Lindsay Davenport. The rating is down 15% from a 4.0 for the 2003 Wimbledon women’s final, the last time the Williams sisters met in a Grand Slam final.
Overnight ratings for Wimbledon women’s final.
since 2002
4.6/14: S. Williams def. V. Williams (Sat., 7/6/02, 9 AM NBC)
4.0/11: S. Williams def. V. Williams (Sat., 7/5/03, 9 AM NBC)
3.9/11: Sharapova def. S. Williams (Sat., 7/3/04, 9 AM NBC)
4.0/12: V. Williams def. Davenport (Sat., 7/2/05, 9 AM NBC)
2.2/7: Mauresmo def. Henin (Sat., 7/8/06, 9 AM NBC)
2.8/8: V. Williams def. Bartoli (Sat., 7/7/07, 9 AM NBC)
3.4/10: V. Williams def. S. Williams (Sat., 7/5/08, 9 AM NBC)
