The French Open did not exactly have people watching in droves.
Saturday’s Schiavone/Stosur Women’s Final drew a 1.4 final rating on NBC, up 8% from Kuznetsova/Safina last year (1.3), down 13% from Ivanovic/Safina in 2008 (1.6) and even with Henin/Ivanovic in 2007 (1.4).
The 1.4 rating is tied as the second-lowest for the Women’s Final of the French Open since at least 1997.
For perspective, tape delayed coverage of Capriati/Clijsters Women’s Final drew a 3.0 rating as recently as 2001.
On Sunday, the Nadal/Soderling Men’s Final also drew a 1.4 final rating, down 7% from both Federer/Soderling last year (1.5) and Nadal/Federer in 2008 (1.5), and down 22% from Nadal/Federer in 2007 (1.8).
Like the Women’s Final, Sunday’s match ranks as the second-lowest rated Men’s Final of the French Open since at least ’97.
The Men’s Final of the French Open has failed to draw even a 2.0 rating every single year since 1999 — when the Agassi/Medvedev final drew a 3.3.
Since 2003, neither the Men’s nor the Women’s Final have drawn a 2.0.
Ratings For the Men’s and Women’s Final of the French Open Since 1997
(Sports Business Daily)
