On Sunday, NBC begins coverage of the 2013 French Open in the first year of a long-term agreement that will run until 2024. NBC hits the air at noon with its tennis crew of Ted Robinson, John McEnroe and Mary Carillo. When the U.S. Open moves to ESPN in 2015, the French Open will be the last tennis Grand Slam tournament to remain on network television.
NBC will air coverage during the first two days of the Tournament including Memorial Day on Monday. And then air exclusive weekend coverage. NBC will air the women’s and men’s semifinals live in the Eastern Time Zone only on Thursday, June 6 and Friday, June 7, respectively.
Here are the details of the French Open on NBC.
NBC SPORTS GROUP’S EXPANDED FRENCH OPEN COVERAGE BEGINS THIS SUNDAY ON NBC
27 Hours from 2013 French Open on NBC Culminates with Live Coverage of Women’s Final on Saturday, June 8 and Men’s Final on Sunday, June 9
This Marks NBC’s 31st Consecutive Year as the Broadcast Home of the French OpenNEW YORK – May 22, 2013 – In the first year of a new agreement with the French Tennis Federation that keeps the French Open on NBC through 2024, NBC will present 27 hours of 2013 French Open, the most-ever network coverage of this major. NBC’s coverage begins this Sunday at Noon ET, with live opening-round coverage, and culminates with the Women’s Final on June 8 and the Men’s Final on June 9. In all, NBC will broadcast 27 hours from Roland Garros, including coverage on the first Monday of play for the first time (Monday, May 27).
Defending champion Rafael Nadal has won seven French Open titles (2005-2008, 2010-2012). Last year, Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic to surpass Bjorn Borg for the most men’s French Open championships in the Open era.
Maria Sharapova will defend her Women’s singles title this year. Sharapova is the sixth different woman in six years to win the French Open singles title.
COMMENTATORS: Host Ted Robinson anchors NBC’s coverage, joined by analysts John McEnroe and Mary Carillo. McEnroe and Carillo teamed to win the mixed doubles title at the 1977 French Open. This is NBC’s 31st consecutive year televising the event.
FRENCH OPEN ON NBC: Following is the television schedule for NBC’s coverage of the 2012 French Open, which culminates with live coverage of the Women’s (June 8) and Men’s (June 9) Finals:
FRENCH OPEN ON NBC Sunday, May 26 Noon – 3 p.m. ET First Round (Live) Monday, May 27 Noon – 3 p.m. (all time zones) First Round (Live ET) Saturday, June 1 Noon – 3 p.m. ET Third Round (Live) Sunday, June 2 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. ET Fourth Round (Live) Thursday, June 6 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. (all time zones) Women’s Semifinals (Live ET) Friday, June 7 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. (all time zones) Men’s Semifinals (Live ET) Saturday, June 8 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET Women’s Final (live) Sunday, June 9 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. ET Men’s Final (Live) NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA FRENCH OPEN COVERAGE
NBC Sports Live Extra — the NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will live stream NBC’s French Open coverage.
For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.
Coverage on NBC Sports Live Extra includes the Men’s and Women’s Finals, and live streaming coverage, across the country, of the second Women’s Semifinal on Thursday, June 6, and second Men’s Semifinals on Friday, June 7.
NBC AND THE FRENCH OPEN: In 1975, NBC became the first American television network to provide coverage of the French Open when the network signed a three-year deal with the French Tennis Federation. The tournament was covered by CBS from 1980-82 and returned to NBC in 1983, where it has remained since.
In August, 2012, NBC and the French Tennis Federation announced a multi-year, multi-platform extension that includes increased U.S. television coverage and increased digital rights for the French Open event through 2024. At the conclusion of this agreement, NBC will have served as the broadcast home of the French Open for 42 consecutive years.
That’s it.
