For those who prefer their tennis viewing hard and hot, Tennis Channel and ESPN2 are the networks of choice for the upcoming Emirates Airline U.S Open Series.
The networks will line up over 230 live or first-run match hours from the five-week, eight-tournament run-up of men’s and women’s pro tennis events in the States and Canada held in the heat of the North American summer. The series serves as a lengthy lead-in to the U.S. Open, the hard court Grand Slam that starts this year on Aug. 25.
This year's Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series comprises: BB&T Atlanta Open (Atlanta - ATP); Citi Open (Washington, D.C. - ATP); Bank of the West Classic (Stanford, Calif. - WTA); Rogers Cup (Toronto - ATP and Montreal - WTA); Western and Southern Open (Cincinnati, Ohio - WTA/ATP); Winston-Salem Open (Winston-Salem, N.C. - ATP); and the Connecticut Open (New Haven, Conn. - WTA).
Beginning on Thursday, July 21, Tennis will begin presenting some 150 live or first-run hours from Emirate Airline U.S. Open Series, which will be flanked by a like number of encore hours.
For its part, ESPN2 is scheduled to present 84 hours, including seven of the eight finals. The championship coverage features ESPN2 stepping onto the court for the men’s title match at the Southern & Western event from Cincinnati that previously aired on CBS.
The broadcaster, which is gearing up for the last of its 47-yearl run at the U.S. Open – ESPN has secured full rights for the major and the U.S. Opens, beginning in 2015 via an 11-year, $825 million deal – will televise the Aug. 23 final of the men’s Winston-Salem Open.
2014 Emirates Airline US Open Series Tennis Channel First-run Telecast Schedule (all times ET)
July 24-26 BB&T Atlanta Open (ATP)
Thursday, July 24 - 4 p.m.-10 p.m. (round of 16)
Friday, July 25 - 9:15 p.m.-11 p.m. (quarterfinal)
Saturday, July 26 - 8 p.m.-10 p.m. (semifinal)
July 28-Aug 2 Citi Open (ATP)
Monday, July 28 - 4 p.m.-10 p.m. (early round)
Tuesday, July 29 - 4 p.m.-10 p.m. (early round)
Wednesday, July 30 - 4 p.m.-10 p.m. (early round)
Thursday, July 31 - 4 p.m.-10 p.m. (round of 16)
Friday, Aug 1 - 1 p.m.-3 p.m.; 9 p.m.-11 p.m. (quarterfinals)
Saturday, Aug 2 - 7 p.m.-9 p.m. (semifinal)
July 29-Aug 2 Bank of the West Classic (WTA)
Tuesday, July 29 - 4 p.m.-8 p.m.; 10 p.m.-midnight (early round)
Wednesday, July 30 - 4 p.m.-8 p.m.; 10 p.m.-midnight (early round)
Thursday, July 31 - 4 p.m.-8 p.m.; 10 p.m.-midnight (round of 16)
Saturday, Aug 2- 1 a.m.-3 a.m. (quarterfinal)*; 10 p.m.-midnight (semifinal)
Aug 4-7 Rogers Cup (ATP/WTA)
Monday, Aug. 4 - 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (early round)
Tuesday, Aug. 5 - 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (early round)
Wednesday, Aug. 6 - 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (early round)
Thursday, Aug. 7 - 6 p.m.-10 p.m. (round of 16)
Aug 11-13 Western & Southern Open (ATP/WTA)
Monday, Aug. 11 - 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. (early round)
Tuesday, Aug. 12 - 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. (early round)
Wednesday, Aug. 13 - 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. (early round)
Aug 20-22 Winston-Salem Open (ATP)
Wednesday, Aug. 20 - 3 p.m.-7 p.m.; 9 p.m.-11p.m.* (round of 16)
Thursday, Aug. 21 - 9 p.m.-11 p.m.* (quarterfinal)
Friday, Aug. 22 - 9 p.m.-11 p.m.* (semifinal)
Aug 20-21 Connecticut Open (WTA)
Wednesday, Aug. 20 - 1 p.m.-5 p.m.; 7 p.m.-9 p.m. (round of 16)
Thursday, Aug 21 - 7 p.m.-9 p.m. (quarterfinal)
(*indicates same-day delayed broadcast).
ESPN & the US Open Series (all live except as noted)
Date Time (ET) Event Network
Fri Jul 25 4 p.m. ATP BB&T Atlanta Open, Atlanta – Quarterfinal ESPN2
7 p.m. ATP BB&T Atlanta Open, Atlanta – Quarterfinal ESPN2
Sat Jul 26 3 p.m. ATP BB&T Atlanta Open, Atlanta – Semifinal ESPN2
Sun Jul 27 5 p.m. ATP BB&T Atlanta Open, Atlanta – Championship ESPN2
Fri Aug 1 4 p.m. ATP Citi Open, Washington, DC – Quarterfinal ESPN2
7 p.m. ATP Citi Open, Washington, DC – Quarterfinal ESPN2
11 p.m. WTA Bank of the West Classic, Stanford, Calif. – Quarterfinal ESPN2
Sat Aug 2 3 p.m. ATP Citi Open, Washington, DC – Semifinal ESPN2
5 p.m. WTA Bank of the West Classic, Stanford, Calif. – Semifinal ESPN2
Sun Aug 3 3 p.m. ATP Citi Open, Washington, DC – Championship ESPN2
5 p.m. WTA Bank of the West Classic, Stanford, Calif. – Championship ESPN2
Thur Aug 7 1 p.m. ATP / WTA Rogers Cup, Toronto/Montreal – Round of 16 ESPN2
Fri Aug 8 1 p.m. ATP / WTA Rogers Cup, Toronto/Montreal – Quarterfinals ESPN2
7 p.m. ATP / WTA Rogers Cup, Toronto/Montreal – Quarterfinals ESPN2
Sat Aug 9 1 p.m. WTA Rogers Cup, Montreal – Semifinal #1 ESPN2
3 p.m. ATP Rogers Cup, Toronto – Semifinal #1 ESPN2
8 p.m. ATP Rogers Cup, Toronto – Semifinal #2 ESPN2
Sun Aug 10 1 p.m. WTA Rogers Cup, Montreal – Championship ESPN2
3 p.m. ATP Rogers Cup, Toronto – Championship ESPN2
Thur Aug 14 1 p.m. ATP / WTA Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati – Round of 16 ESPN2
7 p.m. ATP Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati – Round of 16 ESPN3
9 p.m. WTA Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati – Round of 16 ESPN2
11 p.m. ATP Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati – Round of 16 ESPN2 - *
Fri Aug 15 11 a.m. ATP / WTA Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati – Quarterfinals ESPN2
7 p.m. ATP / WTA Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati – Quarterfinals ESPN2
Sat Aug 16 1 p.m. ATP / WTA Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati – Semifinals ESPN2
7 p.m. ATP / WTA Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati – Semifinals ESPN2
Sun Aug 17 2 p.m. WTA Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati – Championship ESPN2
4 p.m. ATP Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati – Championship ESPN2
Thur Aug 21 1 p.m. WTA Connecticut Open, New Haven, Conn. – Quarterfinal ESPN2
3 p.m. ATP Winston-Salem Open, Winston-Salem, N.C. – Quarterfinal ESPN2
Fri Aug 22 1 p.m. WTA Connecticut Open, New Haven, Conn. – Semifinal #1 ESPN2
3 p.m. ATP Winston-Salem Open, Winston-Salem, N.C. – Semifinal #1 ESPN2
7 p.m. WTA Connecticut Open, New Haven, Conn. – Semifinal #2 ESPNEWS
MID WTA Connecticut Open, New Haven, Conn. – Semifinal #2 ESPN2 - **
Sat Aug 23 3 p.m. WTA Connecticut Open, New Haven, Conn. – Championship ESPN2
* - Aired on tape delay from 7 p.m., seen live on ESPN3
** - Aired on tape delay from 7 p.m., seen live on ESPNEWS
