Oudin's Final Match Earns ESPN2 Most-Watched Tennis Telecast

Oudin's Quarterfinal Part Of Most-Watched Tennis Telecast In ESPN2's History

ESPN2 earned a 1.8 cable rating and 2.324 million viewers for Wednesday night's U.S. Open coverage, which featured Caroline Wozniacki-Melanie Oudin and Roger Federer-Robin Soderling, marking the most-watched tennis telecast in the net's history. The broadcast also ranked as ESPN2's second-best rated tennis telecast ever behind a 1.9 for the '07 Serena Williams-Maria Sharapova Australian Open final, and it also marked the network's sixth-largest audience overall in '09. ESPN2 through Wednesday is averaging 1.020 million viewers for its U.S. Open telecasts, up 22.3% from 834,000 viewers for the comparable period on USA Network in '08. The network is also seeing larger audiences among men 18-34 and 18-49. ESPN2 also saw gains in primetime, averaging a 1.0 U.S. rating, up 43% from USA's primetime ratings for the same period last year (THE DAILY).

UNDER REVIEW: In N.Y., Richard Sandomir writes it is his "fervent wish that ESPN2 would confine Pam Shriver's role strictly to courtside analysis, and keep her from roaming Arthur Ashe Stadium," as she "lacks strong interviewing skills and reporting chops." Shriver Wednesday entered the "zone of the bizarre," as she broke from her interview with Oudin's coach Brian de Villiers to "chat with Oudin's twin sister, Katherine, and her 9-year-old sister Christina." Sandomir: "Noting that they were wearing T-shirts with Oudin's mantra, 'Believe,' Shriver placed her hand over Christina's eyes and told her, 'Spell it!' Is that what sideline reporting has come to?" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/11). Meanwhile, in Daytona Beach, Michael Lewis writes Mike Tirico, who is "normally an ESPN football and basketball guy, has really surprised me with how smooth he's been at the Open." However, Hannah Storm is "still a disaster" (NEWS-JOURNALONLINE.com, 9/11).

KEEPING IT ON THE COURT: ESPN2 Thursday did a "wrap-up of Oudin's two-week odyssey without mentioning" an SI.com report that her mother had an extramartial relationship with de Villiers, and ESPN Associate Dir of Communications Dave Nagle said that the network "had no plans to discuss the family turmoil." CBS Sports Dir of Communications Gerald Caraccioli added the net also has "no plans" to report on the story when it picks up weekend coverage of the tournament. In L.A., Diane Pucin: "Good job by both networks for leaving alone an emotional story affecting a 17-year-old" (L.A. TIMES, 9/11). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Liz Robbins reported Oudin on Monday will appear on NBC's "Tonight Show" and on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (NYTIMES.com, 9/10).