Madrid Open: American Broadcaster Faces Flak as 30-Year-Old WTA Star Blatantly Exposes Their Pickleball Bias

The connection between pickleball and tennis has brewed since paddle sports became popular. Many tennis courts have been turned into pickleball courts, much to the chagrin of many legends, such as Martina Navratilova, and tennis fans. They are about to go up in arms again as Tennis Channel, the authority on the sport’s streaming, chose the side of pickleball instead of a prominent moment for an American player.

Lauren Davis suffered a shoulder injury as the 2024 Australian Open began, and she withdrew from the tournament. Recovery took her a long time, as she could not return before the ongoing Madrid Open. For her and her fans, it was an emotional moment. However, those who hoped the Tennis Channel would stream it experienced a horrific reality.

Tennis Channel, on their streaming service, opted to broadcast a pickleball match instead of Davis’ highly anticipated match against Maya Sherif. Davis, on her ‘X’ page, expressed her disappointment: “@TennisChannel my first match back in 6 months and my family couldn’t event watch 😭😭😭”. Watching the situation unfold, Melanie Lautrupe, a tennis fan, wrote, “Drag them! Like it’s a whole masters & the stream is airing pickleball @TennisChannel?”

Davis would go on to lose her comeback match 6-4, 6-7, 4-6, and did not get the chance to have her match broadcasted for her family. Tennis Channel will likely suffer the wrath of many tennis fans, and this will not be the first time they will be on the receiving end of it. The debacle American fans suffered during the 2023 French Open will live in infamy, as the channel was at the center of it.

Tennis Channel hounded by fans amidst French Open nightmarish scheduling

American spectators were dissatisfied with the process of picking the best French Open match for them. They vented their frustrations on X, and more users shared their own experiences. One user shared how they would need several services to follow it properly, including Tennis Channel and Tennis Channel+. 

One fan expressed dissatisfaction with the relegation of tennis to a single channel, compounded by an additional premium subscription. Another user said that they have the premium Tennis Channel subscription but still missed out on many matches. One user eventually said that it would be cheaper to fly to Paris to watch the matches instead of buying all the subscriptions.

Tennis fans have shared their frustrations as streaming services continue to underdeliver. Will they listen to fans and implement the feedback?