Tennis Channel is adding another Hall of Famer to its Australian Open booth this year, bringing two-time US Open winner Tracy Austin to Melbourne for its coverage of the season’s first major, Grand Slam competition. Austin, who hosts the network’s Tennis Channel Academy series and has appeared as an analyst during telecasts of the US Open and women’s year-end championships, will offer commentary during the channel’s fifth airing of the annual two-week tournament, underway Monday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. ET. Austin will join Tennis Channel lead commentator Martina Navratilova – a fellow Hall of Famer – and veteran sportscaster Bill Macatee, both of whom have appeared during every major ever covered by the network. In all, Tennis Channel will devote approximately 175 hours of programming to the Australian Open this year, with 30 hours of live play, 85 hours of Australian Open Today and more than 60 hours of encore-match coverage New for the network’s Australian Open coverage in 2012 are 10 consecutive nights of prime-time matches, beginning at 7 p.m. ET, within its overall, 13-day coverage window (complete schedule follows). This will take place from the first Monday through the second Wednesday, without any intermittent days off, as had occurred in previous years. In addition to a live schedule that runs from the first day of play through the singles quarterfinals, men’s and women’s doubles finals, and mixed-doubles championship, Tennis Channel will again televise same-day encores of the men’s and women’s singles semifinals and championships. Daily morning show Australian Open Today will run from 7 a.m.-11 a.m. ET most mornings (complete schedule follows), with the highlights, features, news updates and unseen matches that keeps American audiences up to speed with what happened Down Under while they were sleeping. With minor exceptions, each edition will re-air every afternoon at 3 p.m. ET, leading into Tennis Channel’s live coverage at 7 p.m. ET. As with Austin’s analysis and the 10 consecutive nights of live, prime-time play, the Australian Open Today afternoon encores are new for the network in 2012.
Tennis Channel’s Live Australian Open Match Schedule (all times ET)
Monday, Jan. 16 — 7 p.m.-9 p.m., First-Round
Tuesday, Jan. 17 — 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Second-Round
Wednesday, Jan. 18 — 7 p.m.-11 p.m., Second-Round
Thursday, Jan. 19 — 7 p.m.-11 p.m., Third-Round
Friday, Jan. 20 — 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Third-Round
Saturday, Jan. 21 — 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Round of 16
Sunday, Jan. 22 — 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Round of 16
Monday, Jan. 23 — 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals
Tuesday, Jan. 24 — 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals
Wednesday, Jan. 25 — 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m., TBA
Thursday, Jan. 26 — 11 p.m.-3 a.m., Women’s Doubles Final and Mixed Doubles Semifinal
Saturday, Jan. 28 — 5:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m., Men’s Doubles Final
Sunday, Jan. 29 — 12:30 a.m.-2:30 a.m., Mixed Doubles
Tennis Channel’s Australian Open Today Schedule (all times ET)
Australian Open Today airs Monday, Jan. 16-Wednesday, Jan. 25. The program generally runs from 7 a.m.-11 a.m., with same-day encore presentations each afternoon. Exceptions are (all times ET):
Monday, Jan. 16 – 7 a.m.-1 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 21 – 7 a.m.-10 a.m.
Monday, Jan. 23, through Wednesday, Jan. 25 – 6 a.m.-10 a.m.
Afternoon encore editions of Australian Open Today take place from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. every day other than Monday, Jan. 16 (1 p.m.-7 p.m.) and Saturday, Jan. 21 (1 p.m.-4 p.m./4 p.m.-7 p.m.)