In 1973, at Billie Jean King’s behest, the US Open decided to award the same prize money to both men’s and women’s single winners. Two years back, the USTA further requested Tiffany & Co. to make the female’s replica trophy as big as the men’s. Were all these steps just the Flushing Meadow’s way of ensuring equality? Or maybe something bigger behind the veil is pulling the cords?

Tennis dominates female viewership, makes new benchmarks at the US Open

When the final point dropped to the court and cameras panned across cheering fans, one stat quietly spoke volumes: more than half of 2025 US Open viewers were women. Sky Sports revealed that a remarkable 58 percent of viewers who tuned in to watch the US Open were women, surpassing even women’s football in female viewership appeal. This marks a jump from 53 percent just one year prior, a stunning 30 percent rise in overall tennis viewership year-to-year, and a 27 percent growth in women’s share of home TV viewing across five years.

The phenomenon isn’t confined to the Big Apple. Across the Atlantic, TNT Sports recorded 55 percent female viewership for their French Open coverage. That’s on par with football and cricket but also reinforces tennis' unique pull for female sports fans. Meanwhile, in the U.S., TNT’s Roland-Garros broadcast of the women’s semifinals delivered a 94 percent ratings spike compared to last year (averaging 1.47 million viewers, up from 756,000 in 2024), and the final soared 71 percent year-over-year.

That surge in interest mirrors what’s happening on the court. For American women, 2025 has been electric: Madison Keys captured her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, stunning world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling final; Coco Gauff triumphed at Roland-Garros; and Amanda Anisimova, hot on the comeback trail, reached consecutive Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open. Collectively, American women now account for an astounding 25 Grand Slam singles titles since the last American man lifted one (Andy Roddick in 2003).

Let’s look at those triumphs in detail, culminating in the 2025 US Open

• Australian Open 2025: Madison Keys upset Aryna Sabalenka to take her first major trophy, edging past the world No. 1 in a tense 6–3, 2–6, 7–5 final. That win vaulted her back into the top 10, reaching world No. 7.
• French Open 2025: Coco Gauff continued her rise by downing Sabalenka in three sets (6–7, 6–2, 6–4) to become the first American winner at Roland-Garros since Serena Williams in 2015. 
• Wimbledon 2025: Amanda Anisimova stunned world No. 1 Sabalenka in the semifinals, announcing her arrival with an emotionally charged performance. 

• US Open 2025: Anisimova reached her second straight Grand Slam final but fell to Sabalenka, who defended her crown in straight sets, 6–3, 7–6(7–3). Sabalenka claimed her fourth major and became the first woman since Serena Williams to win back-to-back US Open titles.

Female athletes compelling female viewers to tune in, and broadcasters are capitalizing

However, even in defeat, Anisimova’s year remains a victory: another final, rising to world No. 4, and demonstrating remarkable resilience following a break for mental health.

This dominance and variety in playing styles is core to the narrative: there’s power in Keys and Anisimova’s groundstrokes, defensive grit in Gauff’s game, and Townsend’s serve-and-volley finesse. Gauff herself put it succinctly, “All of us look different … We have biracial, Black, and white [players], all types of representation for girls … to look up to in the top 10.” 

The broadcasting world has taken note. With tennis drawing record female audiences, networks are doubling down on coverage and creating programming tailored to women’s interests. The result? Tennis today isn’t just watched. It’s embraced, celebrated, and has transformed into a powerful gender-inclusive entertainment force that broadcasters can’t keep ignoring.

Written by

Diptarko Paul

Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta