John McEnroe has openly commended TNT’s tennis coverage following its debut at the French Open, suggesting that ESPN could benefit from renewed competition as Wimbledon approaches. His remarks came during an ESPN call promoting the upcoming Wimbledon tournament, where tennis broadcasting was a key topic. McEnroe’s endorsement of TNT’s fresh approach offers insight into how the presence of a new player in tennis media might influence ESPN’s longstanding coverage.

Commentator Chris Evert joined McEnroe in acknowledging TNT’s innovative presentation. She said,

“ESPN needs a little competition, and TNT, it’s like two players, top players, going at it, and they’re both going to improve in the process. So we will hopefully learn from them. They will hopefully learn from us. I think TNT was really thinking outside the box a little more, because they were so new.”

—Chris Evert, Commentator

McEnroe added,

“TNT is coming in fresh. It was good because they were more willing… they hadn’t done it before, so they didn’t even know. So now I think it’s going to hopefully lift up even ESPN, did a great job for a long time, but now maybe they’re going to be, ‘Hey, we’re going to look at it a little differently too,’”

—John McEnroe, Commentator

Innovations in TNT’s French Open Coverage

Both McEnroe and Evert credited TNT’s coverage of the French Open for bringing unique elements to tennis broadcasts. TNT’s team focused on capturing exciting action beyond the main court, maintaining viewer engagement by shifting quickly between significant moments happening around the tournament. The network also introduced a studio set outside the main stadium, breaking from traditional indoor studio formats.

Contributions from tennis legends were part of this new strategy, with Andre Agassi offering expert analysis and Venus Williams serving as an unconventional fashion correspondent, adding a different flavor to the coverage. McEnroe highlighted how TNT’s fresh perspective provided a contrast to ESPN’s more familiar approach.

McEnroe Reflects on ESPN’s Strengths and Areas for Growth

While advocating for competition, McEnroe acknowledged ESPN’s advantages, particularly its ability to broadcast simultaneously across multiple channels. He noted,

“But I think ESPN is only on both networks Monday and Tuesday of the second week. I don’t think I have the exact schedule, but to me, that’s an opportunity where you move around.”

—John McEnroe, Commentator

He recalled working with his brother Patrick on the French Open’s “Match Zone” show aired on TruTV, which allowed a continuous transition across different matches, similar to golf coverage.

“We called it the Match Zone, but basically it was like being able to just sort of keep going. It’s more like golf coverage.”

—John McEnroe, Commentator

This approach offered viewers more dynamic content and less downtime between featured matches, contrasting with traditional fixed broadcast schedules.

Commentators and Coverage Flexibility in Tennis Broadcasting

Evert and McEnroe are familiar faces in tennis broadcasting and have worked across multiple networks because tennis commentators typically operate as independent contractors rather than network employees. This freedom makes it easier for them to appear on different channels, which may encourage diverse approaches to coverage and fresh ideas within the industry.

Notably, ESPN did not restrict the conversation during the call, allowing both to speak openly about the state of tennis coverage without pressure to limit their remarks to ESPN-specific topics. Though not overtly critical of ESPN, their comments suggested the network’s longtime dominance may have led to complacency, leaving room for innovation inspired by TNT’s efforts.

What to Expect from ESPN’s Wimbledon Broadcast

Despite the discussion of innovations at TNT, ESPN is not planning major changes for Wimbledon this year. Linda Schultz, ESPN’s vice president of production, explained during an earlier call that the network will use virtual graphics in studio shows during the second week, and announcer booths are equipped with cameras so viewers flipping between channels can see commentators rather than only hearing their voices.

When asked about the possibility of interviewing coaches during matches—a practice TNT introduced at the French Open but only sparingly—Schultz said,

“This is a really good time for tennis, and with that, as we look at access and what that means, we’re following our model of coverage right now. We’re very confident in our championship presentation. That said, when we lean into access, it’s more what’s really provided on camera, documentation coverage side, and when we get access to the players. I think beyond that and our interview approaches right now, we’re happy with what we do.”

—Linda Schultz, ESPN Vice President of Production

She added that although ESPN focuses on thorough court-to-court coverage particularly in the first week, ESPN+ subscribers have the option to stream every match live.

“That first week on ESPN is going from court to court, not missing any of the priority moments. Others have called that a whip-around show.”

—Linda Schultz, ESPN Vice President of Production

Emphasizing New Tennis Stars and Significant Wimbledon Moments

Brett Jackson, an associate producer at ESPN, said the network aims to highlight the fresh generation of tennis players making waves on and off the court.

“So we’re seeing a new generation of stars that are garnering attraction, both on and off the court, this year, and we see it as our responsibility to continue to bring their personal stories and their on court success to the audience.”

—Brett Jackson, ESPN Associate Producer

This year’s Wimbledon carries special significance. It marks the 50th anniversary of Arthur Ashe’s historic victory, making him the only African-American man to win the prestigious tournament. Additionally, Wimbledon is implementing electronic line calling for the first time, replacing traditional line judges. The finals will also begin later than usual at 11 AM Eastern Time, instead of the traditional 9 AM start, aiming to boost viewership in the Americas.

Even with the later start, ESPN will continue to promote its iconic “Breakfast at Wimbledon” segment, a trademarked brand initially used by NBC and then adopted by ESPN when it took over full coverage in 2012.