Reigning women’s champion Aryna Sabalenkaand Men’s world No.2 Alexander Zverevto light up the Night session on Channel 9
Women’s world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka will begin her march to a hat-trick of Australian Open women’s singles titles, when Day 1 of action on the 9Network and 9Now is live and free tomorrow, from 10.00am AEDT.
In a high class opening night on Rod Laver Arena, Germany’s Alexander Zverev (No.2) is on court straight after Sabalenka, to begin his quest for a breakthrough first Grand Slam title.
Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic and Adam Walton will get their campaigns underway in the day session on Channel 9, while Daria Saville will feature on 9Gem in the night session.
Throughout the 2025 Australian Open, fans will have the ability to watch every point of every match, at any time live and free, on any device in full HD on 9Now.
Expert commentary throughout the tournament will be provided by Jim Courier, Jelena Dokic, John McEnroe, Todd Woodbridge, Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Stosur, Dylan Alcott, John Millman, Casey Dellacqua, Sam Smith and Alicia Molik.
On Channel 9, the hosts are James Bracey, Roz Kelly and Tony Jones, while on 9Gem Sylvia Jeffreys, Nick McArdle and Brett Phillips will host the broadcast.
Ariarne Titmus and Jess Fox, join the team to capture all the colour of the event, alongside Marlee Silva. Additional off-court reporting will come from Clint Stanaway and Danika Mason. Plus match callers Brenton Speed and Peter Psaltis.
It’s warm and humid, but looks like unstable conditions set for the very start of play unfortunately within the hour (I’d imagine they’ll be closing the roofs soon if they haven’t already) and could just be top seed action on the 3 arenas for some time…
Tony Jones is insufferable. He has already made a few mistakes. Stumbling and bumbling through and just not a gracious host. He won’t let the others speak or have banter. Why they persist with this fool is beyond me?
Other than a good start to the coverage. Sponsors are well integrated and the event feel is definitely there.
I agree. Tony Jones is insufferable. And is getting worse as the years goes on. H’s “jokes” aren’t good either. They are more of a put down to other guests, than anything else. But can’t handle it when they joke about him.
Play now suspended at midday edt on outside courts, due to rain (the 3 arenas with roofs continue with play).
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The rain is insane! The city completely covered in thunderstorms, in a line going from Gisborne down to the Peninsula, Geelong was smashed earlier. Forecast and not a shock, but perhaps the intensity and in the metro and so early and quickly has been a bit of a surprise.
Nine just showed aerial pictures from Melbourne Park and it’s a lightning show and looks white, drenched. That poor day 1 crowd. Those inside are lucky though, looks normal, almost wouldn’t know what was happening.
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There’s a men’s match and two women’s matches in play, two are only early too. 9Gem sticking with the Andreva match, main channel gone to centre court with lasf year’s runner-up 5th seed young rising star Zheng.
Surprised they wouldn’t put a men’s match on one of the broadcast channels, rather than opt for two women. Perhaps because Gem was already half way through one and the Zheng match semeed more appealing being on RLA and higher seed. Gem might go to the men’s match shortly, as Andreva is cruising.
Some weather services incidating rain/showers might not be over until closer to dinner time, TJ said this morning on Nine the BOM had said it’ll be more hit/miss at Melbourne Park, certainly once this main band clears. So whether there’s dry conditions from 3pm or 6pm there… We’ll have to wait and see.
Should provide a prime time match smorgasbord for Nine’s first Sunday tonight though, there’ll be some heavy promoting of various matches on 9Gem and probably court hopping on the broadcast channels.
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Nine won’t lose any ad revenue or require make goods for the broadcast channels nor said live streams, but what about the other courts/raw live streams from the world feed? Where there’s still digital pre roll or embedded ads and I believe on a very local basis too. Maybe at the lower end of revenue and concern however.
Those feeds are currently just showing the wet courts with a “play suspended” super. Some have a Nine placeholder. Others aren’t even open.
