2011 Wimbledon tennis tournament TV schedule

The third and most prestigious Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year returns to the All England Club for the Wimbledon Championships June 20-July 3. Spain’s Rafael Nadal won his second Wimbledon title last year, but will face competition from Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Robin Soderling and longtime foe Roger Federer. Coming off another French Open win, Nadal is a heavy favorite to repeat. Defending women’s champ Serena Williams is back into playing shape after injury and health problems, but an early exit at Eastbourne might indicate she’s not 100 percent. Other contenders include Caroline Wozniacki, Vera Zvonareva, French Open winner Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka and Francesca Schiavone. (Kim Clijsters withdrew due to injury.)

ESPN2, Tennis Channel and NBC share coverage of the tournament June 20-July 3. Early round coverage on ESPN2 begins Monday, June 20, at 7am ET. NBC has third round coverage beginning Saturday, June 25 at 1pm ET. NBC’s coverage also includes the ladies’ semifinals June 30 at 12pm ET, the men’s semifinals July 1 at 12pm ET, the ladies’ final July 2 at 9am ET and the men’s final July 3 at 9am ET. Tennis Channel airs Wimbledon Primetime nightly at 7pm ET beginning June 20.

Press releases and program details from ESPN and Tennis Channel below. [Update: Wimbledon TV coverage on NBC schedule released.]

ESPN Adds to Extensive Wimbledon Coverage as Nadal, Serena Defend Titles

Storylines Abound for More Hours on ESPN3.com, ESPN Mobile & ESPN Interactive

Hall of Famer Evert Makes ESPN Debut, ESPN 3D’s First Tennis, First Wimbledon for WatchESPN App

With the Rafael Nadal/Novak Djokovic/Roger Federer “trivalry” in full force, and a wide-open women’s field that likely will include the long-anticipated return from injury of the Williams Sisters, ESPN will deliver even more coverage and in more ways than ever of The Championships, Wimbledon across its expanding lineup of media platforms.  These include added hours to its broadband, mobile and interactive TV offerings, the first tennis ever on ESPN 3D and the Wimbledon debut of the WatchESPN App.  Fans will enjoy 100 hours in high definition on ESPN2 HD, and nearly 650 on broadband ESPN3.com beginning Monday, June 20, with daylong weekday coverage throughout the fortnight from the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club.

Hall of Famer Chris Evert will make her ESPN debut at Wimbledon, joining returnees Cliff Drysdale and Dick Enberg, and analysts Darren Cahill, Mary Joe Fernandez, Brad Gilbert, Patrick McEnroe and Pam Shriver.  Chris Fowler will call matches and serve as studio host, sharing that role with Hannah Storm. Tom Rinaldi will provide essays and features.

ESPN networks present all four Grand Slam events and have televised Wimbledon since 2003.  ESPN3.com delivers unmatched broadband coverage of the sport’s four majors and all ATP 1000 and 500 tournaments.

Surveying the Fields

The men’s and women’s fields set up quite differently.  Defending champion Rafael Nadal is ranked no. 1, but being pressed hard by Novak Djokovic (41-1 in 2011 and ranked no. 2 but has never won Wimbledon), and six-time champ Roger Federer at no. 3.

Among the women, Serena Williams is expected to defend her title despite not playing since last year’s tournament until this week’s tune-up event, and is likely to be joined in the field by her five-time champion sister Venus, who also has missed an extensive time for injury.  Meanwhile, no. 1 Caroline Wozniacki leads a list of players seeking a first major victory, no. 2 Kim Clijsters has won three majors since her 2009 return to the sport, no. 4 Li Na comes to London fresh off a French Open title and a resurgent Maria Sharapova, no. 6, won in 2004.

Live Matches on ESPN2, ESPN3.com, ESPN Mobile & ESPN Interactive; ESPN 3D’s First Tennis

Fans will be able to follow the action live on a variety of ESPN platforms, depending on which screen best suits their needs – ESPN2, ESPN3.com, ESPN Mobile, the WatchESPN App and ESPN Interactive TV:

ESPN2 HD will begin daylong live weekday programming in high definition when the first ball goes into the air Monday, June 20, continuing daily through Friday, July 1.  The schedule is again highlighted by one Ladies’ and one Gentlemen’s Semifinal, Thursday, June 30, and Friday, July 1, respectively.  In addition, ESPN2 will air a one-hour SportsCenter at Wimbledon following NBC’s coverage of the Ladies Championship on Sat., July 2, at 2 p.m. ET and following the Gentlemen’s Championship on Sun., July 3 at 3 p.m.

Notes:

  • On Monday, June 27 – Wednesday, June 29, ESPN2 will provide SportsCenter as alternate programming in the Pacific Time Zone from 1 – 4 p.m. ET (10 a.m. – 1 p.m. PT).
  • All the action on ESPN2 is also available online through ESPNnetworks.com, which is accessible to fans who receive their video service from an affiliated provider.

ESPN3.com will provide a multi-court offering with live play, including a simulcast of ESPN2’s coverage, from all nine TV courts plus press conferences totaling nearly 650 hours.  In addition, the broadband service – which reaches nearly 70 million U.S. homes – will offer replays on demand of all four semifinals and both finals.  The semifinals will be available at 8 p.m. the day they are contested (or shown live if live on ESPN2); the finals will both be available beginning late Sunday, July 3, at midnight (9 p.m. PT).

ESPN3.com is ESPN’s live sports broadband network, a 24/7 online destination that delivers thousands of live, global sports events annually. It is currently available at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or cable TV video subscription from an affiliated service provider.  It is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks.

ESPN 3D, launched in 2010, will present its first tennis action with the Gentlemen’s Semifinals and both the Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Finals.  The two semifinals will be presented on a same-day basis, Friday, July 1, at 8 p.m. and later that night at 1 a.m. (10 p.m. PT).  The Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Finals will be aired Monday, July 4, at 7 and 9 a.m., and repeated at 6 and 8 p.m.

The WatchESPN App, for fans with Apple or Android devices and who receive ESPN’s linear networks as part of their video subscription via Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks or Verizon FiOS TV, will present ESPN2’s live coverage, in addition to ESPN3.com’s multi-screen offering.  Also, ESPN Mobile TV will carry over 77 hours of live coverage including the Men’s and Women’s Semifinal rounds, more than double 2010’s offering.

ESPN Interactive TV will be enjoyed exclusively on DIRECTV and extended this year by a day to include the first seven days of competition, culminating on the second Monday.  The day, commonly referred to as “the best day in tennis” is when all singles participants — men and women – are in action in the round of 16.  A six-screen mosaic will include the ESPN2 match and feeds from five individual courts. Production will be enhanced with press conferences, interviews and features elements that will be added during court changeovers and between matches.  All six screens can be expanded to full screen mode or picture-in-picture at the touch of the remote button.  In addition, DIRECTV will offer “Matches On Now,” a graphic across the bottom of the screen with scores from each of the matches currently on the court channels, with the ability to tune directly to the match, and “Results,” an instant look at real-time scores and schedule info for matches ahead – all without leaving the match the viewer is watching. In total, ESPN will provide more than 350 hours of coverage that is exclusive to interactive TV.

More Wimbledon from ESPN, Inc.

ESPN.com will have previews, reviews, the latest news and videos and more:

  • Courtcast: A multi-tool application with all-court scoring, match stats, Cover It Live conversations, poll questions, rolling Twitter feeds and scrolling bottom line;
  • Slam Central: A daily destination for all Wimbledon fixtures;
  • Grass Stains: A daily notebook wrapping up the best and worst of the day;
  • Digital Serve: Daily original videos previewing the next day;
  • Skype Hype: Instant video analysis of notable matches with Greg Garber;
  • Star Watch: Daily blog focusing on one of the game’s elite.

ESPN Classic is presenting great Wimbledon matches and other tennis programming today, Monday, June 13,  through Friday, June 17, highlighted by:

  • Numerous championship matches, including Arthur Ashe defeating Jimmy Connors in 1975, Martina Navratilova beating Chris Evert in 1978 for the first of her nine titles, Bjorn Borg’s classic victory over John McEnroe in 1980, and two of the greatest matches in tennis history – Nadal over Federer with a 9-7 fifth set in 2008 and Federer defeating Andy Roddick 16-14 in the fifth set in 2009.
  • On Thursday, June 16, fans can relive the longest tennis match in history, John Isner outlasting Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set in last year’s first round.  The 11:05 match which stretched across three days is condensed to nine hours, starting at 9 p.m.
  • Two airings of Unmatched, the documentary about the Evert-Navratilova rivalry and friendship, produced by ESPN’s Hannah Storm and part of the award-winning 30 for 30 series (late on Tuesday, June 14 at midnight and Friday, June 17 at 9 p.m.).
  • Tennis-related studio and interview programs such as Homecoming with Rick Reilly, Schaap One on One, SportsCentury, Up Close, Who’s #1? and Top Five Reasons.
  • In addition, on Monday, July 4, the 30th anniversary of the match, at 8 p.m. ESPN Classic will show the 1981 Gentlemen’s Final where John McEnroe ended Bjorn Borg’s historic streak of five consecutive championships.  The full schedule of 70 hours.

ESPN Mobile will provide point-by-point coverage of every Wimbledon match with live scores on the ESPN mobile Web and ScoreCenter app.  Additionally, the Wimbledon “Hot Corner” will bring fans closer to the action, supplying the latest news and analysis while giving fans the chance to interact with ESPN tennis experts  through live chats from the two-week event via mobile devices.  ESPN Alerts will notify fans across carriers of match results, in-progress upsets and Wimbledon news via opt-in tennis text alerts.

ESPN Deportes, ESPN’s Spanish-language network in the U.S. will televise live one men’s and one women’s semifinal on Thursday, June 30, and Friday, July 1, respectively, at 8 a.m. each day.  Commentary for ESPN Deportes, as well as ESPN International, will be handled by Luis Alfredo Alvarez and Eduardo Varela alongside former tennis players Javier Frana and Jose Luis Clerc as analysts.  Tennis reporter Gustavo Sgallo will report from Wimbledon for ESPN Deportes and ESPN International’s SportsCenter editions around the world.

ESPN International will reach 30 million viewers outside the U.S with 70+ live hours pan-regionally in Latin America on ESPN Latin America and on ESPN Caribbean, in addition to daily primetime highlight programs.  ESPN+ in the Southern Cone and ESPN Dos in the Northern Cone will supplement the coverage on ESPN Latin America with an additional 50+ live hours.  In addition, ESPN’s broadband service, ESPN Play, will offer over 600 hours of live coverage in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Bolivia, Paraguay, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras and Venezuela.

ESPN – All Four Slams, All In One Place

Tennis has been part of ESPN since its first week on the air and provided many memorable moments, but it has never been as important as today, with the US Open joining the lineup in 2009, giving ESPN all four Grand Slam events, something no other U.S. network has ever done, let alone in one year. ESPN has presented the Australian Open since 1984, the French Open since 2002 (plus 1986 – 1993), and Wimbledon since 2003.

ESPN debuted September 7, 1979, and the first tennis telecast was exactly one week later, September 14, a Davis Cup tie, Argentina at U.S. from Memphis with Cliff Drysdale on the call and John McEnroe playing.

Almost all the tennis is found on ESPN2, giving the network the identity as the destination for tennis fans and giving the sport a home that is flexible enough to carry extensive live programming – and adding to the schedule as storylines dictate.  In addition, broadband network ESPN3.com, now in nearly 70 million homes, carries thousands of hours of tennis annually, including all four Grand Slam events, plus ATP 1000 and 500 tournaments, usually with additional, exclusive matches.  Also, ESPN Classic shows great matches from the past and the sport receives extensive coverage on SportsCenter, ESPNEWS, Spanish-language ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine.

ESPN & WIMBLEDON 2011
Monday, June 20-Friday, June 24
7am-5pm Early Rounds Days 1-5 (Live) ESPN & ESPN3.com
Saturday, June 25
7am-1pm Early Rounds Day 6 (Live) ESPN2
7am-4pm Early Rounds Day 6 (Live) ESPN3.com
Sunday, June 26
5-8pm Week 1 Highlights (Taped) ESPN2
Monday, June 27
7-10am Round of 16 (Live) ESPN2
1-6pm Round of 16 (Live) ESPN2
7am*-4pm Round of 16 (Live) ESPN3.com
Tuesday, June 28
7am-10am Ladies’ Quarterfinals (Live) ESPN2
1-5pm Ladies’ Quarterfinals (Live) ESPN2
7am*-4pm Ladies’ Quarterfinals (Live) ESPN3.com
Wednesday, June 29
7-10am Gentlemen’s Quarterfinals (Live) ESPN2 & ESPN3.com
1-5pm Gentlemen’s Quarterfinals (Live) ESPN2 & ESPN3.com
Thursday, June 30
7am-12pm Ladies’ Semifinal (Live) ESPN2
7am-4pm Ladies’ Semifinal (Live) ESPN3.com
8-10pm Ladies Semifinals Highlights (Taped) ESPN2
Friday, July 1
7am-12pm Gentlemen’s Semifinal (Live) ESPN2
7am-4pm Gentlemen’s Semifinal (Live) ESPN3.com
Saturday, July 2
8-11pm Gentlemen’s Semifinals  Highlights (Taped) ESPN2
8-11pm Gentlemen’s Semifinal #1 (Taped) ESPN 3D
Sunday, July 3
1-4am Gentlemen’s Semifinal #2 (Taped) ESPN 3D
2-3pm SportsCenter at Wimbledon (Taped) ESPN2
3-4pm SportsCenter at Wimbledon (Taped) ESPN2
Monday, July 4
12am# Ladies’ & Gentlemen’s Finals (Taped) ESPN3.com
7-9am# Ladies’ Final (Taped) ESPN 3D
9am-12pm# Gentlemen’s Final (Taped) ESPN 3D
12-3pm Gentlemen’s Semifinal #1 (Taped) ESPN 3D
3-6pm# Gentlemen’s Semifinal #2 (Taped) ESPN 3D
6-8pm# Ladies’ Final (Taped) ESPN 3D
8-11pm# Gentlemen’s Final (Taped) ESPN 3D

* – Alternate programming from 1 – 4 p.m. ET in Pacific Time Zone (10 a.m. – 1 p.m. PT)
# – All time slots on ESPN 3D on July 4 will expand as needed.

TENNIS CHANNEL’S WIMBLEDON PRIMETIME BEGINS MONDAY, JUNE 20

Lindsay Davenport Joins Martina Navratilova, Bill Macatee, Justin Gimelstob and Bud Collins in London

Network will Air More Than 80 Hours of Nightly Series from the
All-England Lawn Tennis Club

Tennis Channel, the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to both the professional sport and tennis lifestyle, will introduce analyst Lindsay Davenport as the newest member of its on-air team during the network’s upcoming Wimbledon coverage, June 20-29, 2011.  The 1999 Wimbledon singles champion will work with legend Martina Navratilova, host Bill Macatee and fellow analyst Justin Gimelstob on the four-hour nightly tournament show Wimbledon Primetime, which begins Monday, June 20, at 7 p.m. ET.

In January 2011 Davenport signed a multiyear talent agreement with Tennis Channel, which gives the three-time Grand Slam Champion a year-round presence at the network, including a role at all four of tennis’ majors. After offering on-air commentary of the Australian Open and French Open earlier this year (the latter of which generated record network viewers), she returns to the iconic grass courts where she defeated Steffi Graf to win one of the most coveted championships in sports.

“I’m excited to join the Tennis Channel team at Wimbledon,” said Davenport. “I’ve worked with Martina, Bill and Justin on past Slams and we always have a great time.  London is such a fantastic city and Wimbledon has so much history – there is no place I’d rather be this time of year.”

Shot on an English pub-styled set at the All-England Lawn Tennis Association, Tennis Channel’s Wimbledon Primetime offers news, interviews, the day’s best plays, original features, previously unseen matches and coverage from around the hallowed tournament grounds.  The bulk of the program is dedicated to the most important on-court action of that particular afternoon, utilizing the BBC television coverage and commentary that is widely renowned within the tennis community.  Macatee and Navratilova have hosted the program since its 2008 inception.

Tennis Channel will televise 40 hours of first-run Wimbledon Primetime for 10 nights at this year’s tournament, and another 40 hours of same-night, encore telecasts.  The program will air each evening from 7 p.m.-11 p.m. ET, June 20-29.  During the first week, June 20-26, the show’s encore presentation will immediately follow its first-run conclusion at 11 p.m. ET, and run through 3 a.m. ET.  On June 27-29, Wimbledon Primetime’s encore presentation will air from 12 a.m.-4 a.m. ET.

In addition to Wimbledon Primetime, Bud Collins, the reporter, broadcaster, writer and expert who has literally written the book on the sport with his Tennis Encyclopedia, lends his unique perspective and fashion sense to some of Wimbledon’s greatest moments in Bud’s Beat. These one-minute shorts, which will be broadcast on air and available on www.tennischannel.com, are a fun and informative look at the history of the game as told by one of its most celebrated storytellers.

In addition to its on-air coverage, Tennis Channel’s Web site, www.tennischannel.com, will enhance the network’s tournament offerings with columns from veteran tennis reporters Steve Flink and Matt Cronin and popular blogger James LaRosa, along with live scoring, polls, photo galleries and video highlights.  Visitors will be able to view Wimbledon Primetime interviews and features, and take part in “Ask The Expert” Q&A sessions on the network’s Facebook page.  The site will also offer access to Tennis Channel’s “London Calling” Wimbledon sweepstakes and the network’s free “Racquet Bracket” tournament prediction game.


NBC SPORTS PRESENTS NINE CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF COVERAGE FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON

Coverage Culminates with the Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Finals Live Next Weekend

Live At Wimbledon on NBCSports.com Offers Simulcasts of NBC Sports’ Broadcasts

Nadal, Federer, Williams Sisters Headline Field

NEW YORK – June 22, 2011 – “Breakfast at Wimbledon,” one of the enduring traditions in sports, highlights NBC Sports’ nine consecutive days of coverage of The Championships, Wimbledon beginning this Saturday 1-5 p.m. ET and Sunday 2-5 p.m. ET with early round action. The network will present coverage of more than 38 hours over nine days concluding with live coverage of “Breakfast at Wimbledon” with the Ladies’ Final Saturday, July 2 at 9 a.m. ET and the Gentlemen’s Final, Sunday, July 3 at 9 a.m. ET. Live at Wimbledon on NBCSports.com, the online companion for NBC Sports coverage of Wimbledon, will offer simulcasts of NBC Sports’ broadcasts from Wimbledon with live streaming of up to three concurrent courts including Centre Court and Court One.

For NBC Sports, this is the 32nd anniversary of “Breakfast at Wimbledon” and the 42nd anniversary of NBC’s Wimbledon coverage from the prestigious grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

COMMENTATORS: Host Ted Robinson anchors NBC Sports’ coverage from Wimbledon, joined by three-time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe (analyst) and the Emmy Award-winning Mary Carillo (analyst) and Jimmy Roberts (interviewer/essayist).

LIVE AT WIMBLEDON: NBCSports.com is your online companion for NBC Sports coverage of Wimbledon. Live at Wimbledon will offer simulcasts of NBC Sports’ broadcasts from Wimbledon with live streaming of up to three concurrent courts including Centre Court and Court One. Additionally, Live at Wimbledon will feature on-demand replays of the best matches from every day of The Championships.

Live at Wimbledon is available throughout The Championships, Wimbledon with on-demand coverage. Live streaming of NBC Sports’ coverage and additional matches will begin this Saturday at 12 p.m. ET, concluding with the Ladies’ Final on Saturday, July 3 at 9 a.m. ET and the Gentlemen’s Final on Sunday, July 4 at 9 a.m. ET.

Live at Wimbledon also includes:

  • Live simulcast of every day of NBC coverage available on IPhone and IPad
  • Highlights, interviews and full match replays throughout all days of play
  • Online-only analysis and previews by NBC Sports’ John McEnroe and Mary Carillo
  • Live Twitter feed of some of the top personalities and analysts in tennis available as a companion to all the live-streaming video online

GENTLEMEN’S BRACKET: The Gentleman’s draw features Roger Federer, who is seeking his seventh Wimbledon singles title that would tie him with Pete Sampras and William Renshaw for the most singles titles in the history of the tournament, and Rafael Nadal, the defending Wimbledon champion who recently defeated Federer at the French Open.

LADIES BRACKET: The Ladies bracket features the return of the Williams sisters, who have won nine of the last 11 Wimbledon singles titles. Venus has won five and Serena, who has battled health issues this year, has won four, including the last two.

NBC Sports’ 2011 Wimbledon Broadcast Schedule

Saturday, June 25
1-5 p.m. ET
3rd Round (live and same-day tape)

Sunday, June 26
2-5 p.m. ET
No Sunday Matches (tape)

Monday, June 27
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. all time zones
Round of 16 (live and same-day tape)
11:35-11:50 p.m. ET/PT
Wimbledon Update

Tuesday, June 28
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. all time zones
Ladies Quarterfinals (live and same-day tape)
11:35-11:50 p.m. ET/PT
Wimbledon Update

Wednesday, June 29
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. all time zones
Gentleman’s Quarterfinals
11:35-11:50 p.m. ET/PT
Wimbledon Update

Thursday, June 30
Noon- 5 p.m. all times zones
Ladies’ Semifinals (live and same day tape)
11:35-11:50 p.m. ET/PT
Wimbledon Update

Friday, July 1
Noon- 5 p.m. all time zones
Gentlemen’s Semis (live and same day tape)
11:35 p.m.-12:05 a.m. ET/PT
Wimbledon Update

Saturday, July 3
9 a.m.-2 p.m. ET
“Breakfast at Wimbledon”
Ladies’ Final (live)

Sunday, July 4
9 a.m.-3 p.m. ET
“Breakfast at Wimbledon”
Gentlemen’s Final (live)

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About Ryan Berenz 2166 Articles
Member of the Television Critics Association. Charter member of the Ancient and Mystic Society of No Homers. Squire of the Ancient & Benevolent Order of the Lynx, Lodge 49, Long Beach, Calif. Costco Wholesale Gold Star Member since 2011.