ESPN Classic Sport, the new network of European sports channels dedicated to showcasing the greatest moments in sports history, and the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia have reached a new long-term agreement to showcase
the tournament’s rich history of great matches on the new ESPN Classic Sport network in Europe.
The agreement calls for ESPN Classic Sport to televise a mix of Australian Open programming, including full-length matches, event highlights, and produced retrospective programs selected from tournaments held primarily between 1975 and 2000. Some of the most memorable matches to be featured will include:
* 1975 Men’s Final: Jimmy Connors and John Newcombe-a semi-retired Newcombe defeats a fiery Connors to win the last of his seven Grand Slam titles in front of an adoring Australian public, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6;
* 1981 Women’s Final: Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova-viewers will get an opportunity to revisit the greatest-ever rivalry in women’s tennis in this three set thriller won by Navratilova, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5;
* 1995 Men’s Quarter Final: Pete Sampras and Jim Courier– inspired by coach Tim Gullikson’s battle with cancer, an emotional Sampras rallies from two sets to love to beat Courier in one of the finest matches ever played at Melbourne Park, 6-7, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3;
* 2000 Men’s Semi Final: Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras- the two Americans served up a mesmerizing encounter. In a battle of fierce intensity and breathtaking exchanges, Sampras served 37 aces, the most he ever had in one match. However, Agassi’s persistence wore Sampras down, and
he eventually won the nail biting encounter, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-1.
‘The Australian Open has been the stage for some of the most exciting matches in professional tennis history,’ said Roch Pellerin, managing director, ESPN Classic Sport. ‘We’re pleased that ESPN Classic Sport will
be the vehicle by which viewers re-live these great tennis moments or experience them for the very first time.’
‘We are happy that once again spectators can re-live some epic moments from the Australian Open’, said Paul McNamee, Australian Open Chief Executive. ‘It has been the stage for some extraordinary displays of skills, sportsmanship, and drama as well as the scene where many of the sport’s
great rivalries have been played out.’
In addition to the aforementioned celebrated players, ESPN Classic Sport will also spotlight notable Australian Open matches and moments featuring some of the most well-known French players such as Yannick Noah, Henri Leconte, Guy Forget, and Amelie Mauresmo. Other players to be presented
include John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Martina Hingis.
Based in London, ESPN Classic Sport is 70 percent owned by ESPN, Inc. and 30 percent owned Sports Capital Partners. TWI, the largest independent producer, packager, and distributor of sports programming in the world, also plays a principal role in ESPN Classic Sport by providing a variety of support services to the venture, including production and facilities.
ESPN Classic Sport will be a 24-hour, all-sports network devoted to televising the greatest games, stories, heroes and memories in the history of sports from Europe and around the world. The network will be tailored according to
local tastes and will be presented in the local language of each country where it is available. ESPN Classic Sport will launch first in France later this year with a minimum reach of 2.9 million homes, including the subscribers of CanalSatellite and TPS, France’s direct-to-home satellite TV
operators.
For more details contact:
In the U.S.– Chris Bellitti at (212) 916.9889 or chris.bellitti@espn.com
In France– Marie Laure Chigot + 33 6 74 41
63 64 or mlchigot@pema2m.com