ESPN & Wimbledon 2015 – Parade of Former Champions Seek Slot on Manic Monday

·         Round Three Friday, Saturday on ESPN Leads to “Greatest Day in Tennis” – Manic Monday

·         July 4 Breakfast at Wimbledon to Look at Arthur Ashe’s Legacy, 40 Years after Winning Wimbledon

·         “Cross Court Coverage” with ESPN, ESPN2 all Day Returns Monday-Wednesday

ESPN’s third-round action from Wimbledon on Friday, July 3, and Saturday, Independence Day, will include top seeds Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams – facing local favorite Heather Watson – plus other former champions Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova and Venus Williams – on track to face her sister in Monday’s Round of 16. Others in action include French Open winner Stan Wawrinka, Caroline Wozniacki, plus John Isner, Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Coco Vandeweghe – the remaining American contingent in England on this Fourth of July weekend.

Saturday’s action will be preceded by Breakfast at Wimbledon at 7 a.m. ET, hosted by Mike Tirico. Key features:

• Two segments focusing on Arthur Ashe, upon the 40th anniversary of his stunning upset of Jimmy Connors in the 1975 Wimbledon Gentlemen’s Championship. Key figures in tennis will discuss Ashe, on and off the court.
• John Isner prepares breakfast in his Wimbledon home for ESPN’s LZ Granderson, and they discuss the historic longest match in tennis history – Isner over Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68 – which took place five years ago at Wimbledon.
• A discussion of what was learned in Week One at Wimbledon and a preview of the day’s matches.

ESPN’s exclusive coverage of The Championships, Wimbledon – from first ball to the trophies – will climax with the Ladies’ and Doubles Championships on ESPN on Saturday, July 11, and the Gentlemen’s Championship on Sunday, July 12.

Highlights

• Third round action begins Friday, July 3, at 7 a.m. on ESPN and ESPN3. Key matches:
• 1 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 27 Bernard Tomic
• 1 Serena Williams vs. Heather Watson
• 4 Maria Sharapova vs. Irina-Camelia Begu
• 16 Venus Williams vs. Aleksandra Krunic
• 9 Marin Cilic vs. No. 17 John Isner
• 4 Stan Wawrinka vs. Fernando Verdasco
• 7 Milos Raonic vs. No. 26 Nick Krygios
• 6 Lucie Safarova vs. Sloane Stephens
• 11 Grigor Dimitrov vs. No. 21 Richard Gasquet
• On Saturday, July 4, ESPN again begins at 7 a.m., but with the one-hour Breakfast at Wimbledon before another day full of action.  Key matches:
• 2 Roger Federer vs. Sam Groth
• 3 Andy Murray vs. Andreas Seppi
• 2 Petra Kvitova vs. No. 28 Jelena Jankovic
• 5 Caroline Wozniacki vs. Camila Giorgi
• 21 Madison Keys vs. Tatjana Maria
• ABC will broadcast a three-hour review of the first week on the “middle Sunday,” July 5 – Wimbledon’s traditional annual day of rest – at 3 p.m.
• “Cross Court Coverage” returns the first three days of the second week, when everyone plays Round of 16 matches in what is called “The Greatest Day in Tennis” and “Manic Monday.” ESPN starts at 8 a.m., focused on Centre Court all day while fans will enjoy a “grounds pass” with matches from No. 1 Court and elsewhere on ESPN2 beginning at 7 a.m. on Monday, July 6, and at 8 a.m. on July 7 and 8.
• Breakfast at Wimbledon starts the final four days – Thursday, July 9, to the Championships – hosted by Hannah Storm at 7 a.m. on July 9-10 leading into the semifinals, and at 8 a.m. on July 11-12, previewing the Championships – all on ESPN.
• ABC will present three-hour encore presentations of the Championships on the day they take place, July 11 and 12, at 3 p.m.

ESPN Classic is airing six matches on the exact day of their 15-, 25-, 30-, 35- or 40-year anniversary:

• 1980 Gentlemen’s Championship (John McEnroe vs. Bjorn Borg) on Sunday, July 5, at 5 a.m.
• 1975 Gentlemen’s Championship (Jimmy Connors vs. Arthur Ashe) on Sunday, July 5, at 7 a.m.
• 1985 Ladies’ Championship (Chris Evert Lloyd vs. Martina Navratilova) on Monday, July 6, at 5 a.m.
• 1990 Ladies’ Championship (Zina Garrison vs. Martina Navratilova) on Tuesday, July 7, at 5 a.m.
• 2000 Ladies’ Championship (Lindsay Davenport vs. Venus Williams) on Wednesday, July 8, at 5 a.m.
• 2000 Gentlemen’s Championship (Pat Rafter vs. Pete Sampras) on Thursday, July 9, at 5 a.m.

ESPN & WIMBLEDON 2015

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