ESPN delivered record-breaking audiences during the 2026 Wimbledon Championships, setting a new all-time high for the women’s singles final while registering its second most-watched tournament overall.
The women’s final, where Czech teenager Linda Noskova defeated compatriot Karolina Muchova in three sets to claim her maiden Wimbledon title, averaged 1.9 million viewers in the United States. The audience was 48% higher than last year, making it the most-watched women’s championship match in ESPN history.
On the men’s side, Jannik Sinner defeated Germany’s Alexander Zverev in four sets to retain his Wimbledon crown and secure his fifth Grand Slam title. The final averaged 2.4 million viewers, down 16% from the five-set Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz final in 2025 but 10% higher than the 2024 championship match.
Women’s matches fuel audience growth
The women’s semifinals averaged 1 million viewers, an increase of 15% year-over-year and the tournament’s highest semifinal audience in 11 years.
The second semifinal between Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova attracted 1.3 million average viewers, peaking at 1.9 million during its final 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, the men’s semifinals averaged 1.2 million viewers, down 10% from 2025 but up 20% compared to 2024.
One of the tournament’s standout matches, Novak Djokovic’s five-hour, 15-minute quarterfinal victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime, averaged 1.1 million viewers and peaked at 1.5 million.
Quarterfinal coverage averaged 599,000 viewers, making it ESPN’s most-watched quarterfinal round since 2009 and representing a 23% increase over last year.
Serena Williams’ return boosts opening week
The return of Serena Williams to Wimbledon on June 30 drew 1.8 million average viewers, with a peak audience of 2.1 million.
Across the day, ESPN’s Wimbledon coverage averaged 937,000 viewers, making it the network’s most-watched first-round telecast in tournament history.
Combined Monday and Tuesday first-round coverage averaged 734,000 viewers, another all-time first-round record, while first- and second-round broadcasts averaged 689,000 viewers, up 22% from 2025.
Second most-watched Wimbledon on ESPN
Across its two-week coverage on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, the broadcaster averaged 853,000 viewers, an 18% increase year-over-year.
The 2026 edition ranks as ESPN’s second most-watched Wimbledon ever, trailing only the 2019 tournament.
ESPN first began broadcasting Wimbledon in 2003 and has held the tournament’s exclusive U.S. media rights since 2012.