A marathon Wimbledon men’s final hit a seven-year ratings high.
Sunday’s Novak Djokovic-Roger Federer Wimbledon men’s final averaged a 2.4 rating and 3.83 million viewers on ESPN, up 118% in ratings and 133% in viewership from last year (Djokovic-Kevin Anderson: 1.1, 1.64M) and up 60% and 68% respectively from 2017 (Federer-Marin Cilic: 1.5, 2.28M).
The five-hour match ranks as the highest rated and most-watched Wimbledon final in seven years, since Federer-Andy Murray in 2012 (2.5, 3.93M). Regardless of tournament, it ranks as the top tennis match since the Serena Williams-Venus Williams US Open quarterfinal in 2015 (3.7, 6.0M).
In addition, it was the top sporting event of the weekend, ranking well ahead of regional Major League Baseball coverage on FOX (1.4, 2.23M).
The full telecast window, which lasted nearly seven hours, averaged 3.33 million (+215%).
On Saturday, the Simona Halep-Serena Williams women’s final had a 1.7 and 2.44 million — down a tick in ratings and 9% in viewership from Angelique Kerber-Serena Williams last year (1.8, 2.70M), but up 21% and 20% respectively from Garbine Muguruza-Venus Williams in 2017 (1.4, 2.04M).
The full telecast, which exceeded seven hours, averaged 1.20 million (-19%).
Encore presentations on ABC earned a 0.6 (-13%) and 911,000 (-11%) Saturday and a 0.7 (+38%) and 1.06 million (+39%) Sunday.
The full tournament averaged 877,000 viewers (+30%).
[Numbers from ESPN, ESPN PR 7.18]
