Nine has supercharged its commentary for the Australian Open by luring John McEnroe back, and adding two prominent Olympians to the coverage.
McEnroe, the seven-time grand slam winner and former world No. 1, will again play a significant role, with Nine confirming the major coup.
Back in the Nine booth: Tennis great John McEnroe will be on hand during the Australian Open.Credit: Getty
One of the sport’s straight shooters as an authoritative – but sometimes antagonistic – voice, McEnroe, 65, returned to Australian shores last year for the first time since 2020, having until that point been a regular in the commentary booth and facilitator of on-court interviews here.
He will join fellow American Jim Courier and Australians Todd Woodbridge and Jelena Dokic as the key figures of Nine’s expanded coverage. Nine is the owner of this masthead.
Olympic champions Jess Fox and Ariarne Titmus will also join the commentary team.
Brent Williams, Nine’s director of sport, said the Australian Open was “without doubt the greatest sporting event on the Australian summer calendar”.
Australian Olympic star Jess Fox.Credit: Getty Images
“The best players in the world have assembled in Melbourne for what promises to be another scintillating and compelling fortnight of tennis on the courts. While around the grounds, the thriving festival of food, music, family and entertainment is ready to be brought to life,” Williams said.
While Nine and 9Gem remain the primary channels, Williams said every court will be streamed live and free on 9Now.
Stan, Nine’s paid streaming service, will also broadcast the Open, with centre court in 4K.
Never short of an opinion, McEnroe has long been a major drawcard at Melbourne Park, recently reliving in a documentary aired on Nine his sensational disqualification for unsportsmanlike behaviour as a player in the 1990 tournament.
The Racket told the tale of McEnroe’s history at the Australian Open, including that infamous fourth-round ejection for his verbal abuse of grand slam chief of supervisors Ken Farrar when playing Swede Mikael Pernfors.
In doing so, McEnroe – who had not realised the number of in-game penalties had just been cut by the ATP from four to three – became the first man since 1963 to be disqualified from a grand slam.
Nine’s extensive coverage of the Open also includes the junior and all abilities tournaments, which will be shown on 9Now. Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Stosur, Dylan Alcott, John Millman, Casey Dellacqua, Sam Smith and Alicia Molik will also feature in commentary.
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