Week Two Begins with “Cross Court Coverage” for Round of 16 on Greatest Day in Tennis
After five marathon days of Wimbledon action, fans can wake up to a serving of Breakfast at Wimbledon with host Hannah Storm leading into Saturday’s matches on ESPN, a three-hour program on ABC hosted by Mike Tirico on Sunday, July 1, and a second week of coverage unlike any before anywhere. For three days, starting Monday, July 2 – commonly called the “Greatest Day in Tennis” as all remaining 16 Gentlemen and 16 Ladies play in the Fourth Round after Sunday’s traditional day off – ESPN and ESPN2 will air live matches all day. This “Cross Court Coverage” will ensure that for the first time all the Round of 16 (Monday) and Quarterfinals matches (Tuesday-Wednesday) will be seen live coast-to-coast. ESPN will focus on Centre Court matches while ESPN2 offers fans a “grounds pass” with action from Court 1 and other courts.
The live coverage will continue on ESPN through to the Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Finals, Saturday, July 7, and Sunday, July 8, respectively. ESPN’s 10th Wimbledon will total 140 live hours in high definition on ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD plus 800 on ESPN3. All the action on ESPN and ESPN2 is also available through WatchESPN online at WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app. ESPN 3D will present matches from Centre Court the last five days, starting Wednesday, July 4.
The new schedule is the result of a 12-year agreement between ESPN and the All England Lawn Tennis Club announced just after the conclusion of the 2011 Championships.
Link to Breakfast at Wimbledon Logo
The one-hour Breakfast at Wimbledon will debut at 7 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 30, when ESPN covers matches from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (or later as need be). The “pre-game show” then returns for the final four days of the tournament on ESPN, the Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ Semifinals and Finals, Thursday, July 5 – Sunday, July 8. For the semifinals, Breakfast at Wimbledon will air at 7 a.m. On Championship Weekend, the show will air at 8 a.m. with the Finals beginning at 9 a.m. The show will also be seen on ESPN3, as well as WatchESPN which includes ESPN and ESPN2 online at WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app.
In addition to getting viewers ready with a preview of the day’s big matches, on each Breakfast at Wimbledon Storm and the ESPN team of analysts will offer the latest news, analysis and discussion, features and interviews, special guests and a sense of the atmosphere around the grounds and Wimbledon Village.
On Sunday, July 1 – the “middle Sunday” when no matches are scheduled per a Wimbledon tradition – ABC will broadcast a three-hour program. Tirico will be joined by analysts and they will deliver the headlines, news, stars and stories from the week that was with a look ahead as well. The topics will include:
- Two-time winner Rafael Nadal’s historic loss to Lukas Rosol, playing his first Wimbledon and ranked No. 100
- The stunning first round loss by five-time champion Venus Williams and her uncertain future
- An in-depth look at the Americans who made it to the round of 16,
- “Up close and personal” segments with no. 1 seed Maria Sharapova and six-time Wimbledon champ Roger Federer
- A look at the pressure on Great Britain’s Andy Murray to bring home a title not won by a male player from Great Britain since Fred Perry in 1936.
ABC will also reair the finals on the day they take place, July 7 and 8, at 3 p.m.
ESPN – All Four Slams, All In One Place
Tennis has been part of ESPN since its first week on the air and provided many memorable moments, but it has never been as important as today, with the US Open joining the lineup in 2009, giving ESPN all four Grand Slam events, something no other U.S. network has ever done, let alone in one year. ESPN has presented the Australian Open since 1984, the French Open since 2002 (plus 1986 – 1993), and Wimbledon since 2003, with exclusivity for live television with all other rights extended in a 12-year agreement starting this year.
ESPN debuted September 7, 1979, and the first tennis telecast was exactly one week later, September 14, a Davis Cup tie, Argentina at U.S. from Memphis with Cliff Drysdale on the call and John McEnroe playing.
In addition, broadband network ESPN3, now in nearly 72 million homes, carries thousands of hours of tennis annually, including all four Grand Slam events, plus ATP 1000 and 500 tournaments and WTA Premier Events, and season-ending championships for both tours. Also, ESPN Classic shows great matches from the past and the sport receives extensive coverage on SportsCenter, ESPNEWS, Spanish-language ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine. ESPN 3D aired its first tennis at Wimbledon in 2011.
ESPN & WIMBLEDON 2012
| Date | Time (ET) | Event | Network | |
| Sat, June 30 | 7 – 8 a.m. | Breakfast at Wimbledon | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live |
| 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Early Round Action | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live | |
| Sun, July 1 | 3 – 6 p.m. | Highlights of Week One | ABC | Tape |
| Mon, July 2 | 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Round of 16 | ESPN2 / ESPN3 | Live |
| 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Round of 16, Centre Court | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live | |
| Tue, July 3 | 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Ladies’ Quarterfinals | ESPN2 / ESPN3 | Live |
| 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Ladies’ Quarterfinals,
Centre Court |
ESPN / ESPN3 | Live | |
| Wed, July 4 | 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Gentlemen’s Quarterfinals | ESPN2 / ESPN3 | Live |
| 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Gentlemen’s Quarterfinals,
Centre Court |
ESPN / ESPN3D / ESPN3 | Live | |
| Thur, July 5 | 7 – 8 a.m. | Breakfast at Wimbledon | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live |
| 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Ladies’ Semifinals | ESPN / ESPN3D / ESPN3 | Live | |
| Fri, July 6 | 7 – 8 a.m. | Breakfast at Wimbledon | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live |
| 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Gentlemen’s Semifinals | ESPN / ESPN3D / ESPN3 | Live | |
| Sat, July 7 | 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Breakfast at Wimbledon | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live |
| 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Ladies’ Final | ESPN / ESPN3D / ESPN3 | Live | |
| 3 – 6 p.m. | Ladies’ Final | ABC | Tape | |
| Sun, July 8 | 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Breakfast at Wimbledon | ESPN / ESPN3 | Live |
| 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Gentlemen’s Final | ESPN / ESPN3D / ESPN3 | Live | |
| 3 – 6 p.m. | Gentlemen’s Final | ABC | Tape |
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