The biggest star in women’s tennis gave NBC a boost in the overnights Saturday.
French Open coverage featuring the Serena Williams/Lucie Safarova women’s final had a 1.9 overnight rating on NBC Saturday, up 27% from coverage featuring Maria Sharapova/Simona Halep last year (1.5) and up a tick from coverage featuring Williams/Sharapova in 2013 (1.8).
Keep in mind the 1.9 overnight is for the full telecast window (9 AM-1 PM ET), not the match portion (9-11:15 AM). Overnights for the match portion were not immediately available.
The 1.9 overnight is tied as the highest for coverage of the French Open women’s final since 2003 (2.3), matching 2004 and 2005. Williams’ first win at the event, the 2002 final against her sister Venus, earned a 3.6 overnight.
(Sat. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box)
