According to CCTV, Li Na’s victory over Italy’s Francesca Schiavone was watched by a record-breaking 116 million viewers and has become this year’s most watched sporting event on television in the world’s largest market. This year, the French Open final attracted almost twice as many viewers in China than the previous high – the Australian Open final which Li Na lost to Belgium’s Kim Clijsters, which was watched by 60 million viewers. The average French Open final TV audience nearly tripled from Li Na’s semifinal match against Maria Sharapova, which had a viewership of 34.5 million across two different CCTV networks.
“The viewership numbers for Li Na’s historic Roland Garros win are a fantastic sign for the continued growth potential of women’s tennis in China,” said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the WTA.
167 million Chinese tuned in to watch the tennis competition during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The 2011 French Open final has officially become the single most watched tennis match in China’s history.
