The U.S. Open earned some of its strongest ratings in
recent years, as Sunday's men's final earned a 7.1/14
overnight Nielsen rating, up 137% over last year's 3.0/6.
Meanwhile, Saturday's women's final earned a 7.2/17
overnight rating, up 100% over last year's 3.6/10 (CBS).
Saturday's Serena Williams-Martina Hingis final was the
highest rated women's final since '93. Saturday's men's
semifinals averaged a 4.1/11, up 32% over last year's 3.1/8
(HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 9/13). While CBS' coverage of the
women's semifinals on Friday was delayed due to rain, the
two matches featuring both Williams sisters averaged a 5.0
rating, up 85% over last year's 2.7. It was the "highest TV
rating for a U.S. Open women's semifinal in 12 years" (ST.
PETE TIMES, 9/12). The first semifinal featuring Serena
Williams-Lindsay Davenport earned a 4.0/11, up 48% over last
year, while the Martina Hingis-Venus Williams match pulled a
5.9/12, up 111% over last year (DETROIT NEWS, 9/12).
U.S. OPEN NOTES: In Toronto, Chris Zelkovich writes
that CBS' tennis team of Mary Carillo, Bill Macatee and John
McEnroe "strike[s] a perfect balance. They supplied
analysis and background without talking our ears off at the
U.S. Open" (TORONTO STAR, 9/13)....In Lexington, WKYT-CBS
News Dir Jim Ogle said his station "received about 25 calls"
after cutting away from CBS' Friday telecast to carry "Wheel
of Fortune" and "Jeopardy." Ogle, on the game shows: "Those
shows have loyal followings and we hear from those viewers
when those shows aren't on the air. We tried to think of
our total viewing audience" (HERALD-LEADER, 9/11).
