Australian Open On-Air Talent

Veteran sportscaster Bill Macatee will return to the Tennis Channel booth during this year’s Australian Open, along with Hall of Fame tennis-legend Martina Navratilova, primary analyst for all network Grand Slam coverage.  Also returning is longtime Tennis Channel play-by-play commentator Leif Shiras, and analyst and features reporter Justin Gimelstob.  New to the Australian Open team this year is former top-ranked doubles player Corina Morariu, who will handle sideline and interview duties, and appear in feature material.

“2009 could very well be the best tennis year ever,” said Navratilova.  “Can Roger regain the No. 1 ranking?  Not if Nadal has his say.  Can Murray beat them all?  Maybe.  Will Djokovic wake up?  I hope so.  And the women!  We have about eight bona fide contenders for the No. 1 ranking.  So I am really looking forward to working with Bill Macatee and Tennis Channel again as the Australian Open will start giving us some answers.”

The Tennis Channel has a lot of great on air activities scheduled for us tennis fanatics. They will have comprehensive tournament telecasts, the return of the daily morning show Australian Open Today to U.S. viewers who are just getting a start on their daily activities, highlights, previously unseen matches, original features and more beginning each morning at 8 a.m. ET.

If you do not have The Tennis Channel, their website – http://www.tennischannel.com/ – will keep online viewers up to speed with everything that happens in Melbourne. They will offer live scoring, Australian Open Today features, best-match highlights and the network’s exclusive Racquet Bracket tournament prediction game, as well as a chance to win a trip to the 2010 tournament via its “Slammin’ Down Under” sweepstakes.  There also will be blogs and columns from network regulars James LaRosa and Steve Flink.

Here are some schedules that you might be interested in for the two-week competition:

Tennis Channel’s Live and First-Run Australian Open Match Schedule

Date                                        Time (ET)                   Event             

Monday, Jan. 19                        7 p.m.-9 p.m.                First-Round Action

Tuesday, Jan. 20                       7 p.m.-10 p.m.               First-Round Action

Wednesday, Jan. 21                   7 p.m.-11 p.m.               Second-Round Action

Thursday, Jan. 22                      7 p.m.-11 p.m.               Second-Round Action

Friday, Jan. 23                           9:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m.      Third-Round Action

Saturday, Jan. 24                       7 p.m.-10 p.m.               Third-Round Action

Sunday, Jan. 25                         7 p.m.-9 p.m.                Fourth-Round Action

Monday, Jan. 26                        7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.            Women’s Quarterfinals

Tuesday, Jan. 27                       7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.            Men & Women Singles Qtrs

Wednesday, Jan. 28                   9 p.m.-11 p.m.               Men’s Singles Quarterfinals

Thursday, Jan. 29                      9 p.m.-3 a.m.                Women’s Doubles Final

Friday, Jan. 30                           11:30 p.m.-1 a.m.          Men’s Doubles Final

Sunday, Jan. 31                         12 a.m.-1:30 a.m.          Mixed Doubles Final

Tennis Channel’s Australian Open Today Schedule

Australian Open Today airs Monday, Jan. 19-Friday, Jan. 30.  The show generally runs from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. ET.  Exceptions are (all times ET):

Saturday, Jan. 24 – 2 p.m.-7 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 25 – 8 a.m.-noon

Thursday, Jan. 29, and Friday, Jan 30 – 6 a.m.-2 p.m.

I am SO excited about the Australian Open and will bring you videos, highlights, scoring, pictures and everything I can! I am ready for some major tennis next week.

Source: Tennis Channel Press Release

Image Credit: Bauer Griffin

Post from: EveryJoe

Line up of Broadcasters for the 2009 Australian Open