A new era in tennis broadcasting will commence with the 2019 Mastercard Hopman Cup on Nine and 9Gem from next week
Rebecca Maddern and Clint Stanaway will host the network’s live coverage of the annual event from the RAC Arena in Perth. This tournament, which will feature mixed teams from eight nations, is shaping as one of the most hotly contested in Hopman Cup history.
Commentary for the eight-day competition will be provided by Todd Woodbridge , Alicia Molik , Mark Petchey , John Fitzgerald , Casey Dellacqua and Peter Marcato .
They will be supported by roving reporters Matthew Pavlich and Scherri-Lee Biggs .
In a coup for viewers, two of the greatest players of all time, Serena Williams and Roger Federer , will go head-to-head in the mixed doubles on New Year’s Day.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam tournament champion, will return to Australian tennis for the first time since her historic Australian Open victory in 2017 when she was eight weeks pregnant. Williams will represent the United States alongside dynamic rising star Frances Tiafoe .
The USA doubles team will meet Switzerland’s pairing of Roger Federer , winner of 20 major singles titles, and Belinda Bencic , the current Swiss No. 1 femal player, in a dream start to the new year for tennis fans.
Germany’s Angelique Kerber , the world No.2 and three-time Grand Slam champion, and world men’s No.4 Alexander Zverev will return with hopes of improving on their finals finish in the last Hopman Cup.
The nation’s top-ranked women’s player, Ashleigh Barty , the world No.15, will team up with Perth’s own Matt Ebden to represent Australia.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Garbiñe Muguruza and former world No.3 David Ferrer will make their Hopman Cup debut for Spain.
Up-and-comers and childhood friends, world No.15 Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari , will represent Greece in their Hopman Cup debut.
Perennial favourites France will be represented by Lucas Pouille , a member of the French team that won the Davis Cup in 2017, and Alizé Cornet , who played in the team that won the Hopman Cup in 2014.
Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie and Katie Boulter round out the field for the 2019 Hopman Cup.
Tom Malone, Nine’s Director of Sport, said: “What a sensational way to start Nine’s new summer of tennis and the new year, with two of the greatest to have ever played, Serena Williams and Roger Federer.
“The Hopman Cup will be the first insight into how they and others are preparing for the Australian Open which starts on January 14.”
BROADCAST SCHEDULE
| DATE | SYD & MELB | BRIS | ADL | PER |
| Sat, Dec 29 | 13:00-17:00 Nine | 12:00-17:00 Nine | 12:30-17:00 Nine | 10:00-16:00 Nine |
| 17:00-19:00 9Gem | 17:00-18:00 9Gem | 17:00-18:30 9Gem | 17:30-19:00 9Gem | |
| 20:30- 01:30 9Gem | 19:30-00:30 9Gem | 20:00-01:00 9Gem | 19:00-22:30 Nine | |
| Sun, Dec 30 | 13:00-17:00 Nine | 12:00-17:00 Nine | 12:30-17:00 Nine | 10:00-16:00 Nine |
| 17:00-19:00 9Gem | 17:00-18:00 9Gem | 17:00-18:30 9Gem | 17:30-19:00 9Gem | |
| 20:30- 01:30 9Gem | 19:30-00:30 9Gem | 20:00-01:00 9Gem | 19:00-22:30 Nine | |
| Mon, Dec 31 | 13:00-17:00 Nine | 12:00-18:00 9Gem | 12:30-17:00 Nine | 10:00-16:00 Nine |
| 17:00-19:00 9Gem | 17:00-18:30 9Gem | |||
| Tue, Jan 1 | 20:30-01:30 9Gem | 19:30-00:30 9Gem | 20:00-01:00 9Gem | 17:30-18:00 Nine |
| 18:00-19:30 9Gem | ||||
| 19:30-22:30 Nine | ||||
| Wed, Jan 2 | 13:00-17:00 Nine | 12:00-18:00 9Gem | 12:30-17:00 Nine | 10:00-16:00 Nine |
| 17:00-19:00 9Gem | 19:30-00:30 9Gem | 17:00-18:30 9Gem | 17:30-19:30 9Gem | |
| 20:30- 01:30 9Gem | 20:00-01:00 9Gem | 19:30-22:30 Nine | ||
| Thurs, Jan 3 | 13:00-17:00 Nine | 12:00-18:00 9Gem | 12:30-17:00 Nine | 10:00-16:00 Nine |
| 17:00-19:00 9Gem | 19:30-00:30 9Gem | 17:00-18:30 9Gem | 17:30-19:30 9Gem | |
| 20:30- 01:30 9Gem | 20:00-01:00 9Gem | 19:30-22:30 Nine | ||
| Fri, Jan 4 | 13:00-17:00 Nine | 12:00-18:00 9Gem | 12:30-17:00 Nine | 10:00-16:00 Nine |
| 17:00-19:00 9Gem | 19:30-00:30 9Gem | 17:00-18:30 9Gem | 17:30-19:30 9Gem | |
| 20:30- 01:30 9Gem | 20:00-01:00 9Gem | 19:30-22:30 Nine | ||
| Sat, Jan 5 | 19:00-01:30 9Gem | 18:00-00:30 9Gem | 18:30-01:00 9Gem | 16:00-18:00 Nine |
| 18:00 –19:00 9Gem | ||||
| 19:00-22:30 Nine |
