Who Are the Commentators for the 2024 Australian Open?

Remember that epic 26-shot rally at the 2017 Australian Open Men’s Final? It was the fifth set, 40-40, with Rafael Nadal serving to make it 4-4. A rally that had both Nadal and Roger Federer fans sitting at the edge of their seats, waiting to see the outcome of what was undoubtedly the rally of the match. As Nadal ripped a backhand crosscourt, Federer hit this almost half-volley down the line, one that had no chance of coming back. In that moment, fans and commentators shared one uninhibited emotion: absolute bewilderment. And if there was one instance that established commentators as crucial to our viewing experience, it was right then.

As commentators screamed and shouted, exclaiming things like, “I will never, ever forget that rally” and “Ridiculous! Jaw-dropping stuff from both players,” they became an indispensable part of watching Grand Slam tennis. So now, as the Australian Open is set to return once again—its 112th edition—channels have announced their teams for the Happy Slam.

Nick Kyrgios will join the Eurosport and ESPN commentators’ team 

Nick Kyrgios has been absent from tennis since January 2023. But even though he’s not been active on court, he sure has been making good use of his time off. With his frequent unfiltered and animated tweets about the happenings in the tennis world, Eurosport and ESPN have asked the Australian to get on board their teams for commentary throughout the fortnight. Considering his talk show Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios is set to premiere on January 24, it’s evident that staying away from tennis is not on Kyrgios’ radar. Joining him on Eurosport will be a star-studded lineup.

Boris Becker, John McEnroe, Justine Henin, Alex Corretja, Barbara Schett, and Laura Robson have been selected to commentate for the 2024 Australian Open, which will begin on Sunday, January 14. McEnroe was first rumored to miss the tournament for a second time in a row. But like Kyrgios, he’ll be there to give viewers a glimpse of what a McEnroe-Kyrgios partnership could be.

Viewers of Eurosport’s international and English-language feeds will be treated to game-changing match analysis from London’s award-winning mixed reality Cube studio, hosted by news anchor Rachel Stringeby Mats Wilander, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, and Tim Henman, a former World No.4, will accompany her.

As for ESPN, they’ll be without Chris Evert, a legend on and off the court. Considering her expertise, especially when it comes to the coverage of Grand Slams, she’s someone fans look forward to listening to. However, Evert, who was also absent for the 2023 Australian Open, will probably not cover the sport until the American hard court season rolls around. But John McEnroe and Joe Fernandez will once again be part of ESPN’s team.

As usual, the might-be-seen-on-the-ESPN panel are Patrick McEnroe, Pam Shriver, James Blake, Chris Fowler, Jason Goodall, Chris McKendry, and Rennae Stubbs. Joining McEnroe and the team as a guest commentator will be – you guessed it – Nick Kyrgios.

Tennis Channel’s Australian Open commentary team

Tennis Channel, like always, will provide the ultimate coverage for the Australian Open. Leading the coverage for them will be Jon Wertheim, Steve Weissman, Martina Navratilova, Lindsay Davenport, and Jim Courier, who will work effortlessly to bring the pregame show to tennis fans around the United States.

The team comprises some of the most acclaimed players in tennis history and veteran commentators and analysts. They will dive deep to share the conditions of each player and the likelihood of their performances.

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The Australian Open commentary team for Channel 9 and ABC

Channel 9 will be at the forefront of covering the tournament for Australian fans. While they haven’t announced their team yet, their traditional roster includes Jim Courier, Sam Smith, Todd Woodbridge, Dylan Alcott, Casey Dellacqua, Lleyton Hewitt, Jelena Dokic, Mark Philippoussis, Alicia Molik, Peter Psaltis, Darren Cahill. John McEnroe usually contributes to the coverage of the Australian Open with Channel 9 but has opted to cover the tournament with ESPN and Eurosport this season. 

Corbin Middlemas, Matt Clinch, Andrew Moore, Quentin Hull, and Ned Hall will be joined by John Alexander, Roger Rasheed, and Paul McNamee on ABC to provide play-by-play analysis of the main matches, with a focus on Australian players across the draw.

All the BBC commentators heading the 2024 Australian Open coverage

The BBC will take charge of Australian Open coverage in the United Kingdom. They have not confirmed their team so far, but their traditional roster includes Andrew Castle, Andre Rofter, Annabel Croft, Billie Jean King, Clare Balding, Isa Guha, John Inverdale, John Lloyd, Sania Mirza, Kim Clijsters, Martina Navratilova and many more tennis legends. 

Read More: American Tennis Fans Make Nick Kyrgios Their Own After His Latest ESPN Stint for the Australian Open