Tennis on HBO
Encyclopedia
Tennis on HBO is a television program produced by the premium cable television
network HBO that broadcasts the main professional tennis tournaments in the United States. In 1975
, HBO began airing coverage (same day, weekday coverage only) of Wimbledon
and did so until 1999
. In 2009, HBO broadcast the inagural Billie Jean King Cup
.
lost an epic match to Billie Jean King
at Wimbledon
8–6 in the 3rd. Commentators on HBO Breakfast at Wimbledon made a very big deal out of her ability to hit numerous swinging volleys out of the air for winners. This was something that had not been done before especially by a female.
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
network HBO that broadcasts the main professional tennis tournaments in the United States. In 1975
1975 Wimbledon Championships
List of the 1975 Wimbledon champions:-Men's singles: Arthur Ashe def. Jimmy Connors, 6–1, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4*It was Ashe's 3rd career Grand Slam title, and his 1st Wimbledon title.-Women's singles: Billie Jean King def...
, HBO began airing coverage (same day, weekday coverage only) of Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
and did so until 1999
1999 Wimbledon Championships
The 1999 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
. In 2009, HBO broadcast the inagural Billie Jean King Cup
Billie Jean King Cup
The Billie Jean King Cup is a one-night tennis exhibition that features the four Grand Slam winners from the previous year to compete each March at Madison Square Garden in New York City....
.
Notable moments
In 1983, Beth HerrBeth Herr
Beth Herr is an American tennis player. She became the number 1 junior tennis player in the world at age 16. She was the #1 college recruit in 1985 and went on to play for the University of Southern California where she won the NCAA singles title and team title in her freshman year...
lost an epic match to Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society...
at Wimbledon
1983 Wimbledon Championships
The 1983 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
8–6 in the 3rd. Commentators on HBO Breakfast at Wimbledon made a very big deal out of her ability to hit numerous swinging volleys out of the air for winners. This was something that had not been done before especially by a female.
Commentators
- Michael BarkannMichael BarkannMichael Barkann is an award winning sports host, anchor and reporter for Comcast SportsNet.-Education:...
- Mary CarilloMary CarilloMary Carillo is an American sportscaster and former professional tennis player.-Tennis career:Carillo played on the women's professional tennis circuit from 1977 to 1980. She was ranked as high as number 33, in the WTA Rankings, from January through March 1980, then retired due to knee injuries...
: Carillo worked as both a host and analyst on HBO’s Wimbledon coverage from 19961996 Wimbledon ChampionshipsThe 1996 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
to 19991999 Wimbledon ChampionshipsThe 1999 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
. - Zina GarrisonZina GarrisonZina Lynna Garrison is a former professional tennis player from the United States. During her career, she was a women's singles runner-up at Wimbledon in 1990, a three-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion, and a women's doubles gold medalist at the 1988 Olympic Games.-Career:An African-American...
: Garrison served on HBO's coverage of the 19981998 Wimbledon ChampionshipsThe 1998 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
and 1999 Wimbledon Championships1999 Wimbledon ChampionshipsThe 1999 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
. - Julie HeldmanJulie HeldmanJulie Heldman is a retired American tennis player who won 22 professional tennis titles.In 1969 she was World No. 5, her highest career world ranking, and was ranked No. 2 in the U.S.-Tennis career:...
- Billy Jean King
- Jim LampleyJim LampleyJames "Jim" Lampley is an American sportscaster, news anchor, movie producer, and restaurant owner. Lampley has anchored a record 14 Olympic Games U.S. television broadcasts, most recently the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China....
: In 1987, he began working for HBOHome Box OfficeHBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
, covering boxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
and HBO's annual telecast of Wimbledon1987 Wimbledon ChampionshipsThe 1987 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
. - John Lloyd
- Barry MacKayBarry MacKayBarry MacKay is a former American tennis player and tournament director and a current tennis broadcaster. While competing in college for the University of Michigan, he won the singles title at the 1957 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship to clinch the team title for Michigan. He was also a finalist...
- Martina Navratilova: She worked as an analyst on HBO's coverage of the Wimbledon Championships from 19951995 Wimbledon ChampionshipsThe 1995 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
through 19991999 Wimbledon ChampionshipsThe 1999 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
.