Two top-ranked American players were sent packing in the first round
ESPN’s has potentially been dealt a tough ratings blow very early during Wimbledon.
The network celebrated the biggest audience in its 22-year history of broadcasting the tournament.
But it was sent crashing back to earth with the two leading American players suffering shock losses.
ESPN’s broadcast on Monday averaged 539,000 viewers, a 37 per cent increase on day one of the 2024 tournament.
Tuesday began with a shocker when No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula lost her first-round clash.
Pegula was swept aside 6-2 6-3 by Elisabetta Cocciaretto in a match that finished before America even woke up.
Later in the day, No. 2 seed Coco Gauff suffered the same fate.
She was beaten by Dayana Yastremska 7-6 6-1 in late night drama under the roof in London.
Gauff recently added the French Open title to her 2023 US Open championship.
That win over Aryna Sabalenka in Paris, France, earlier this summer earned TNT an average US audience of 1.47 million viewers.