Martina Navratilova and Tim Henman will headline Sky Sports‘ TV coverage when tennis returns to the network for the US Open.
Henman has been a central part of Amazon’s coverage of the sport, but the company’s US Open deal has already expired and their deals for the ATP and WTA Tours will come to an end after 2023.
i understands Sky are also due to announce that they will replace Amazon as the UK broadcaster of the two professional tours in the coming months.
Sky Sports’s tennis coverage, which will be on a dedicated channel due to launch next year and feature multi-court coverage on streaming platforms, will be presented by Gigi Salmon, a regular tennis commentator and presenter on the BBC.
Sky have signed a five-year deal to show the US Open, meaning they are currently contracted up until and including the 2027 event, and are believed to have signed a similar length deal for the ATP and WTA rights.
Sky Sports broadcast team
Gigi Salmon
Amazon’s Catherine Whitaker was thought to have been in the running, but Salmon won out. She has extensive experience in radio and latterly TV, having worked for Talksport, BBC Sport, 5Live, and grand slam organisers at Wimbledon and Roland Garros.
Martina Navratilova
In a line-up that certainly has a younger tinge to it as Sky tries to appeal to a new generation of tennis fans, Navratilova is one name who has endured. Her playing record speaks for itself, with 18 singles grand slams to her name and another 41 in women’s and mixed doubles.
Tim Henman
Four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist and former world No 4, Henman was a stalwart of the British tennis scene as a player and remains so since retirement. He has worked for the BBC and Amazon on their tennis, and was the courtside commentator when Emma Raducanu won her US Open. He also remains an influential board member at the All England Club.
Jo Konta
Konta is a former British No 1 who endured a testy relationship with the media, but since retiring at the end of 2021, has worked in TV and radio.
Feliciano Lopez
Lopez will add recent playing experience to the broadcast team, having only retired in June, although he has also already begun his post-playing career by working as tournament director at the Madrid Open and the Davis Cup Finals.
Marion Bartoli
Bartoli won Wimbledon in 2013 but is perhaps best known by the British public as the person described by John Inverdale on the BBC as “never going to be a looker”. Since retiring for the second time in 2018, she has worked as a coach and also an on-court interviewer at the French Open.
Jordanne Whiley
Whiley is one of best British women ever to have played wheelchair tennis. As well as the singles title at the 2015 US Open, she won 12 doubles titles, including a calendar-year Grand Slam, a Paralympic silver medal and three bronzes.
Laura Robson
Having burst onto the scene by winning the Wimbledon girls title, Robson was one of the great hopes of British tennis, but was dogged by injury throughout her career and finally retired last year at the age of 28. She now works as a tournament director as well as a TV pundit and commentator.
Jamie Murray
Brother of former world No 1 Andy, Jamie has enjoyed a highly successful career as a doubles specialist, winning two men’s titles and five mixed, and still plays on tour, which will at least in the short term limit his contributions.
Karthi Gnanasegaram
Gnanasegaram’s voice will be a familiar one to the millions of Today programme listeners over the years, as well as BBC TV viewers, having covered sport for the corporation for more than 10 years.
Emma Paton
Best known for presenting Sky Sport’s darts coverage, taking over from Dave Clark, Paton has presented across a wide range of sports.
Jonathan Overend
Overend is best known for his work on BBC radio but has also worked as a commentator for ITV, Times Radio, the ATP and the Premier League.
