Tennis

Tennis Channel Does Not Air BNP Paribas Open Mixed Doubles Final

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wendioliveros
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wendioliveros Sports Editor

Wendi Oliveros is a diehard tennis fan that is known to set her clock at ridiculous hours to watch live action especially during the Australian Open. She is known for indulging in strawberries and cream during Wimbledon and has watched the US Open live several times.

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Sports Editor

Published14 Mar 2025

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Tennis Channel

In a head-scratching move, the Tennis Channel did not air the BNP Paribas Open Mixed Doubles final on Friday afternoon.  Live programming, interviews, and analysis were shown on the regular channel. Featured at the time of the match was an interview of former NBA basketball stars at Indian Wells.  The Tennis Channel app which boasts the ability to see all matches also did not air the final from Stadium 3 at Indian Wells.

This is counterintuitive to the #WatchMoreDoubles viral movement with players lobbying for more viewership of doubles and mixed doubles to boost their popularity.

On March 4, the Tennis Channel aired the Eisenhower Cup event to kick off the BNP Paribas Open.  This was a mixed doubles ten-point tiebreak exhibition that Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina won.

Tennis Channel’s Odd Decision

Tennis is trying to grow its popularity. It has big stars that can do it.  The mixed doubles final included American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, days away from her 40th birthday, attempting to win her first-ever mixed doubles title at Indian Wells, nine years after winning a women’s doubles title there.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands is a Grand Slam doubles and mixed doubles champion. She worked for the Tennis Channel in 2017 when she was sidelined with an injury.  She is known and respected in tennis.

On the other side of the net was another well-known and respected female tennis player, Sara Errani.  Errani, 37, is an accomplished veteran player with a long resume of accomplishments in mixed and women’s doubles. She won the Paris Olympics gold medal in women’s doubles with Jasmine Paolini.

From what we can tell, it was a close match. Errani and Italian compatriot Andrea Vavassori edged out Mattek-Sands and Mate Pavic in a deciding tiebreak.