ESPN continues to mismanage the 2026 Australian Open coverage.
In addition to relegating Grand Slam tennis to ESPN2, the network also preempted live coverage over the weekend for NCAA gymnastics.
Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys started their Round of 16 match at 7:30 PM EST on Sunday night, but the guide indicated that volleyball was airing until 8 PM. Thankfully, I persisted in checking ESPN2 because I thought the commentators said it would be on at 7:30, which it turned out to be. Relying on the guide would have caused me to miss a good chunk of the first set.
Complaints are all over the internet, but the only thing that is allowing the network to get away with shoddy treatment and a forced ESPN Unlimited $30 subscription to have access to every match is the time difference which throws everyone off with the first Grand Slam of the year.
I turned @espn on to watch the Australian Open at 9:15pm and still haven't seen any tennis.
— Justin (@jbrinkk) January 26, 2026
Disney buying ESPN is really an abomination. It’s so hard to watch sports now.
I’m trying to watch the Australian Open, but they are just running gymnastics…you try and watch on the app, they want you to buy another subscription…
— Joe Hayes (@Workin_American) January 24, 2026
ESPN’s Australian Open coverage has proven that ESPN has no respect for tennis whatsoever
— Cam (@Cam235711) January 24, 2026
Melbourne is 16 hours ahead of the US Eastern Time Zone. Tennis fans may not watch as much of the Australian Open because of the time difference. If ESPN keeps up these habits for Wimbledon and the US Open later in the year, which have higher ratings, fans will be more livid and vocal.
The Other ESPN Tennis Problem
Beyond the atrocious ESPN Unlimited paywall that was never officially announced, the network is seemingly trying to reinvent its coverage after watching TBS/TNT succeed with its inaugural year of the French Open in 2025. Younger media personalities were employed in Paris last year, but it worked because many had strong tennis backgrounds like Sloane Stephens and Venus Williams.
I get that ESPN wants younger commentators for Aus Open to save a buck but Malika Andrews isn’t it. She doesn’t know the players, has nothing substantial to say.
— Kathleen (@kathismoak731) January 26, 2026
@espn I’m sure @malika_andrews is great, but we need tennis people on the @AustralianOpen desk. If the name of the world #1 doesn’t roll of your tongue easily, you have no business being there.
— Bernice Cutler (@Frontyardvegs) January 25, 2026
ESPN put Malika Andrews, who is excellent in NBA coverage, on the Australian Open in the second week. She was not there to kick off the tournament. Katie George held it down for the first week. Neither woman has a strong tennis background.
Fans miss Chris McKendry, relegated to an occasional match color commentary, who was the anchor for years on ESPN from the first ball until the trophy presentation and was very good at the job.
Malika Andrews covers basketball. Not sure why @espn has her hosting the @AustralianOpen McKendry or about 15 other people are thoroughly more qualified than she is to host this event.
— BB (@yankees047) January 25, 2026
Chris Eubanks and Sam Querrey, both former players, are saving the broadcast right now. Eubanks and Querrey provide sound analysis without talking incessantly.
Hopefully ESPN learns from the complaints and haphazard coverage of the first Grand Slam of the year and does better with the crown jewels later in the year with significantly less time differences, Wimbledon and the US Open.
