Overview
- ESPN averaged 853,000 viewers per day for its Wimbledon coverage, an 18% increase from 2025 that makes this the network’s second-most-viewed Wimbledon since it began exclusive U.S. rights.
- The women’s final between Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova averaged about 1.9 million viewers, the largest audience for a Wimbledon women’s final on ESPN and a near-50% jump from last year.
- Jannik Sinner’s four-set men’s final win over Alexander Zverev averaged roughly 2.4 million viewers, a decline from 2025 that coverage and analysts attribute in part to Carlos Alcaraz not being in the match.
- High-profile moments early in the tournament, notably Serena Williams’ return and long, late-window matches such as Novak Djokovic vs. Félix Auger‑Aliassime, produced large spikes and helped lift first-round and quarterfinal averages.
- Fans criticized recent changes to ESPN’s streaming packages and the new ESPN Unlimited offering over cost and match-selection limits, a backlash that could shape how the network markets future Grand Slam coverage such as the U.S. Open.