Tag: Carlos Alcaraz

US Open smashes records in India with 877m watch minutes on JioStar

MUMBAI: When the ball hit the lines at Flushing Meadows this year, Indian audiences weren’t just watching, they were glued to their screens in record numbers. JioStar Network has revealed that the US Open 2025 clocked a staggering 877 million minutes of watch-time across Linear TV and Digital platforms, marking a watershed moment for tennis in India.

This year’s edition opened with a twist: a novel mixed doubles format that instantly broadened the tournament’s appeal. On Linear TV alone, the event amassed 388 million minutes of total watch time, the highest ever for the US Open in the BARC era. The Hindi commentary experiment struck gold, drawing in viewers far beyond the sport’s traditional base. In fact, 18 million Indians tuned in, a 96 per cent jump year-on-year setting new records for reach.

On JioHotstar, the digital stream lit up as fans followed Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz lifting the singles crowns. Together, online audiences clocked 489 million minutes of watch time, a figure that underlines both the pull of tennis and the power of accessible streaming.

JioStar Sports head of audience engagement and monetization Siddharth Sharma said: “We have a strong belief in the fandom for tennis and the US Open in particular, and our proposition was built around that. The success we achieved across both our linear and digital platforms is a clear sign of the ever-growing passion for tennis in India.”

The achievement cements JioStar’s positioning as India’s ultimate sporting destination, adding the US Open to a roster that already includes rights to ICC events, India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams, the TATA IPL and WPL, the Premier League, Wimbledon, and the Pro Kabaddi League. With such a calendar, JioStar has created a platform where global and domestic sporting milestones converge for Indian fans.

The success of the US Open is more than a stat-sheet triumph. It signals tennis breaking through to a wider audience in India, a country where cricket usually reigns unchallenged. With 877 million minutes of passion, it’s clear the sport has found a new gear and JioStar, the perfect stage.

September 29, 2025
Sony Sports Network to LIVE Telecast Australian Open 2024 in English and Hindi

Mumbai: Sony Sports Network is proud to announce its continued association with the prestigious Australian Open, bringing the electrifying LIVE telecast of the 2024 edition to tennis enthusiasts across India. The tournament, scheduled from Sunday, 14 January 2024, to Sunday, 28 January 2024, will captivate fans as Melbourne Park hosts the world’s tennis elite in a battle for the coveted first grand slam title of the year. Sony Sports Network will bring all the LIVE action from the tournament in English and Hindi, while Tamil and Telugu language feeds will be added from the Quarterfinals stage onwards.

Leading up to the tournament, Sony Sports Network launched it’s ‘#SlamOfTheGreats’ campaign, masterfully capturing all the thrills, competitive spirit, and excitement that the Australian Open has always offered. The campaign pays tribute to some of the greatest tennis moments in the history of the game, and also feature’s India’s own Tennis great Sania Mirza announcing her arrival to world tennis with her first Grand Slam win in 2009.

In a historic first, the Australian Open will begin on a Sunday, giving tennis fans an extra day of play. This change aims to reduce the pressure on late-night finishes for both the players and the fans, while also bringing one extra day of live tennis action.

As temperatures soar in Melbourne, the anticipation for the first tennis Grand Slam of the year is heating up, with Novak Djokovic aiming to surpass Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam victories. Djokovic faces mighty competition from the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Jannik Sinner, all vying to etch their name in the history books. Fans of Women’s Tennis are in for a treat too with Aryna Sabalenka aiming to defend her title and ward off any challenges from current world number one Iga Świątek.

Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer – distribution & international business & head – sports business, Rajesh Kaul said, “It’s that time of the year when the best tennis stars gather in Melbourne to compete for the ultimate glory in the year’s first Grand Slam. The Australian Open has consistently been the most watched Grand Slam in India for the last few years. Our commitment extends beyond on-field action, featuring off-field initiatives like expert insights and opinions from two-time Australian Open winner Sania Mirza and Former India No 1, Somdev Devvarman on our live studio show, Extraaa Serve.”

Sony Sports Network two-times Australian Open winner & tennis brand ambassador Sania Mirza said, “The Australian Open tournament holds a special place in my heart as I made my Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open in 2005. The Grand Slam continues to be a strong platform for players to showcase their talent, and this year’s tournament will feature both emerging talents and established stars lighting up the court. I am looking forward to being a part of Extraaa Serve on Sony Sports Network as a panellist through the course of the tournament. Throughout the broadcast, we will bring fans closer to all the live action in Australia and also present behind-the-scenes moments of this sporting spectacle.”

Olympian & former No 1 India Tennis Player. Asian Games & Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist and panellist, Extraaa Serve Somdev Devvarman said, “It’s an absolute pleasure to be a part of Sony Sports Network’s Australian Open broadcast. It’s a tournament that never fails to deliver incredible moments, and I look forward to being a part of the team that brings these moments to your screens. Sony Sports Network has been a champion for tennis in India, and I’m thrilled to contribute to the passion and excitement that the Australian Open always brings.”

As the ‘Home of Tennis’ in India, Sony Sports Network offers year-long marquee tennis events, featuring three out of the four Grand Slams – Australian Open, Roland Garros (French Open), and US Open, along with Davis Cup and ATP Masters, making it the ultimate destination for top-tier tennis action. The Australian Open, in particular, holds a special place in the hearts of Indian tennis enthusiasts, consistently ranking as one of the most-watched tennis tournaments on Indian television.

January 12, 2024
Sony Sports Network returns with Extraaa Serve, the broadcasters’ flagship studio show for the US Open

Mumbai: Sony Sports Network, is the official broadcaster and Sony LIV is the official streaming partner of the upcoming US Open in India, set to commence on 28 August 2023.

Current ATP World Rank No.1 and reigning US Open champion, Carlos Alcaraz will look to re-ignite his rivalry with former top seed Novak Djokovic, who will be aiming to add to his record 23 grand slam titles at the US Open. In conjunction, Tennis stars from the Men’s Singles category such as Holger Rune, Daniil Medvedev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas will be looking to pose a challenge to the dominance of Alcaraz and Djokovic during the tournament.

Iga Swiatek, current WTA Rank No.1 will look to defend her US Open title this time around as Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula will look to challenge her at the US Open.

Sony Sports Network will play a pivotal role in bringing dynamic tennis action live from the prestigious USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, New York City. The acrylic hard courts at the venue have been the home of the US Open since 1978 and have hosted countless classics that have enthralled tennis fans over the years.

In addition to the LIVE Coverage of the US Open, Sony Sports Network’s flagship studio show, Extraaa Serve will be telecast before and after each match day, which will be hosted by Suhail Chandok. Extraaa Serve will feature expert insights from fan favourites, Somdev Devvarman, former India No. 1; Purav Raja, who represents India in the Davis Cup and Indian Tennis Legend and multiple Grand Slam winner, Sania Mirza. Hindi commentary of the matches will begin on 6 September, with Saarthak Lal, Manish Batavia, and Atish Thukral joining the commentary team as panellists Quarter-Finals onwards.

Sony Sports Network continues to be the premier destination for Tennis in India as the official broadcaster for the upcoming editions of the French Open at Roland Garros, Cincinnati Masters, Australian Open, and Canada Open. Additionally, Sony Sports Network will also be the official broadcaster for the upcoming editions of the Davis Cup.

August 24, 2023