Novak Djokovic’s defeat to Jannik Sinner in the 2024 Australian Open semifinal on Friday not only marked his first-ever exit at the last-four stage in Melbourne but also drew significant attention, becoming the most-viewed men’s semifinal match since 2014.
The Serbian, a formidable 10-time champion in Melbourne, suffered an unexpected 1-6, 2-6, 7-6(6), 3-6 loss to the fourth-seeded Italian. According to ESPN, the match attracted 79% more viewers to their stream compared to last year’s most-watched semifinal.
The highly-anticipated clash also garnered 29% more viewership than the most-watched semifinal of the 2022 Australian Open. Additionally, the 2023 US Open rematch between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka in Melbourne contributed to the semifinal round receiving the highest viewership on the American sports cable network since 2021.
Despite Sabalenka’s comfortable victory over Gauff, prevailing 7-6(2), 6-2, the match’s compelling storyline led to a 15% increase in viewers compared to last year. Furthermore, the women’s singles semifinal stage saw a 22% rise in viewership compared to 2022.
These numbers indicate positive momentum for the Australian Grand Slam, particularly considering ESPN’s lower viewership figures in Melbourne last year.
Notably, Djokovic’s 2023 Australian Open final against Stefanos Tsitsipas saw a 36% decrease in viewership compared to Rafael Nadal’s 2022 triumph. Similarly, Sabalenka’s first Major title victory against Elena Rybakina witnessed 21% fewer viewers than in 2021.
