While viewers tuned in en masse to watch Roger Federer defeat Andy Roddick, there was far less of an audience for the all-Williams women’s final the previous day.
The Serena Williams/Venus Williams Wimbledon women’s final drew a 2.3/7 final rating on NBC Saturday, down 8% from a 2.5/8 for the same matchup last year, and the lowest rating ever for an all-Williams Grand Slam final on broadcast.
Keep in mind that the match took place on a holiday (the Fourth of July). The last time the Wimbledon women’s final took place on July 4 (1998), the match drew a 2.7/11.
The 2.3 rating is the third-lowest for a Wimbledon women’s final this decade, and the second-lowest for a final involving an American.
Despite being Americans and having a combined 18 Grand Slam titles, the Williams sisters have not moved the needle much in their head-to-head outings. 5 of the 8 all-Williams Grand Slam finals have had declining ratings compared to the previous year’s matchup.
Ratings for Venus Williams/Serena Williams Grand Slam finals.
Ratings and shares presented for events on broadcast; U.S. rating and cable rating (in parentheses) presented for events on cable.
Comparisons are to the previous year’s final.
| Year | Major | Date | Time | Net | Winner | Rating | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 |
U.S.
|
Sat., 9/8/01 | 8:00 PM | CBS | Venus |
17%
|
|
| 2002 | French | Sat., 6/8/02 | 11:00 AM | NBC | Serena | 2.8/10 |
-7%
|
| 2002 | Wimb. | Sat., 7/6/02 | 9:00 AM | NBC | Serena | 3.4/12 |
13%
|
| 2002 | U.S. | Sat., 9/7/02 | 9:00 PM | CBS | Serena | 5.2/10 |
-24%
|
| 2003 | Aussie | Fri., 1/24/03 | 9:30 PM | ESPN | Serena | 1.7 (2.1) |
-11%
|
| 2003 | Wimb. | Sat., 7/5/03 | 9:00 AM | NBC | Serena | 2.9/10 |
-15%
|
| 2008 | Wimb. | Sat., 7/5/08 | 9:00 AM | NBC | Venus | 2.5/8 |
14%
|
| 2009 | Wimb. | Sat., 7/4/09 | 9:00 AM | NBC | Serena | 2.3/7 |
-8%
|
