Raducanu US Open final attracts peak of over 9 million viewers for Channel 4

Channel 4’s coverage of Emma Raducanu’s inspiring US Open win was watched by a peak audience of over 9 million Brits.

The US Open rights are held in the UK by Amazon, but the tech giant agreed a last-minute deal with Channel 4 to ensure the final was available on free-to-air TV in the country. 

The final marked the first time that a British woman has won a Grand Slam tennis title in 44 years. 

In total, a peak of 9.2 million viewers watched the match. The average audience of 7.4 million viewers surpassed the previous 2021 record for a women’s tennis match in the UK of 7.9 million viewers for the BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon.

Some 12.6 million viewers watched the match for at least three minutes, while the final was viewed by 40% of UK TV viewers on September 11.

Ian Katz, Channel 4’s chief content officer, said: “We’re so delighted that Channel 4, in partnership with Prime Video, could enable more than nine million people to enjoy one of the most thrilling and historic nights of British sport in a generation. Moments like this are what Channel 4 was made for – it’s a perfect example of the kind of nimble, uncommercial, but profoundly valuable public service broadcasting that a purpose-driven Channel 4 can deliver.”

Speculation continues to mount around the future of Channel 4 as the UK government pushes to privatise the pubcaster.