Nine Tennis Coverage

Australia will host Belarus in a Fed Cup semi-finals in April, with the location decided by a coin toss as the nations are yet to play each other in the competition. I expect it will again be shown on 9Gem due to netball and NRL coverage on the main channel in Sydney and Brisbane.

Australia is drawn with Belgium and Colombia in the Davis Cup Finals.

Very sad news for Perth with Hopman Cup being axed after 31 years. :frowning:

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At least it was forecast, better than the news dropping like a nuclear bomb.

Roger Federer, who is competing at the Miami Open, lamented the axing of Hopman Cup.

This is where it has always been, this is where the spirit is or was and will always be. It’s a bit sad news that’s happening.

It looks like the women’s tournaments for Brisbane and Sydney International could be under threat as well. If Tennis Australia doesn’t react quickly, there may only be one WTA tournament in Australia before the Australian Open next year (the Hobart International). Not ideal preparation for female players.

Adelaide is getting what used to be the Sydney tournament the week before aus open with atp/wta event.

The question atm is what is happening the week of the old Brisbane event for the wta

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The question is will the changes devalue Nine’s broadcast contract with Tennis Australia, because Nine will have less women’s matches to show?

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Wouldn’t it have the opposite effect considering the ATP Cup will be a points event whereas the Hopman Cup was an exhibition tournament?

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Australia will host Belarus in the Fed Cup semi-final at Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena during Easter (April 20-21). It will feature the new world No.9 Ashleigh Barty.

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LIVE ON 9GEM 20 & 21 APRIL

ASH BARTY TO LEAD THE CHARGE IN AUSSIES’ SEMI-FINAL SHOWDOWN WITH BELARUS

Australia’s World Group semi-final clash against Belarus in the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas will be broadcast LIVE on 9Gem from 1.00pm Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21.

The crucial semi-final will see Ashleigh Barty (Qld) lead Daria Gavrilova (Vic) and fellow Queenslanders Samantha Stosur and Priscilla Hon in the battle at Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena.

Ash Barty enters the tie as the top ranked player in both singles and doubles from both teams, after recently cracking the world’s Top 10. Barty’s impressive 14-2 Fed Cup win-loss record will prove pivotal to Australia’s hopes of winning through to the Fed Cup final for the first time since 1993.

Sam Stosur, currently ranked world No. 17 in doubles, has amassed the most WTA doubles points of any player for 2019 on the back of winning the Australian Open women’s doubles title and reaching the doubles final in Miami. Stosur’s experience is a huge asset to the team, and she also holds the record for the most Australia Fed Cup singles wins.

World No. 58 Gavrilova comes in with recent wins over world No. 37 Dayana Yastremska (UKR) and world No. 31 Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU). In the last tie against the USA she stretched Australian Open semifinalist Danielle Collins to three sets and will be looking to build on her Fed Cup form.

Priscilla Hon has hit a career high ranking of No.130 this week and is excited to be part of the team after triumphing in the USA in a live fifth-rubber alongside Ash Barty. Recently she qualified for Indian Wells after defeating two top 100 opponents.

The Belarus team is features a strong line-up of top players, including world No. 10 Aryna Sabalenka , two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka and Brisbane International 2018 finalist, world No.35 Aliaksandra Sasnovich .

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An Easter long weekend of tennis!

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Australia will host the 2019 Fed Cup final against France in November after beating Belarus 3-2 in this weekend’s semi-final in Brisbane. In Sunday’s action, Ash Barty defeated Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets then Victoria Azarenka trounced Samantha Stosur and it went down to the doubles. Barty and Stosur won the doubles match in three tight sets to secure the tie. It is the first time since 1993 that the Aussies have reached the Fed Cup final. 9Gem’s coverage went overtime both yesterday and today due to the tight result. I expect the final on November 9-10 will air on main channel.
(updated after this morning’s result of semi final between France and Romania)

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Fed Cup caps:

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Australia’s men’s team are also in the Davis Cup in Madrid later in November but coverage will be in the middle of the night.

Fed Cup Final to be played at RAC Arena in Perth featuring Ash Barty as the main drawcard on 9 and 10 November

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Interesting and great for Perth. The Victorian government used to have a contract with TA which had every Fed Cup and Davis Cup final should Australia qualify to host when the format allowed played at Melbourne Park. Only ever ivoked twice.

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Interestingly the RAC Arena website has been updated to include any Fed Cup final information. There is an article at the Fed Cup website however.
According to Ticketek website, the matches will be played during daytime, starting at 11am AWST (2pm AEDT).

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With Barty being world no.1, Nine will promote the Australian Open with Barty Party with matches on 9 and 9Gem and available on 9GemHD for the first week next summer.

It will be a ratings bonanza for 9 to kick start 2020.

Dates for the 2020 Australian Open is scheduled to be from 20 January to 2 February 2020.

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So you have found out that 9Gem HD is confirmed to continue beyond the Australian cricket matches in the UK?

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