The latest tennis poster from Sky Sports, which features top players like Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz but leaves out Aryna Sabalenka and Daniil Medvedev, has not exactly won over tennis fans.
On Friday, November 24, Sky Sports announced that it had reached an exclusive five-year agreement with the ATP and WTA Tours. The channel will take the place of Amazon Prime Video, which from 2018 to 2023 served as the only provider of tennis programming in the UK.
A poster featuring multiple tennis players, including the top-ranked players in the world, Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur, and Jannik Sinner, was posted on the channel’s social media page to announce the partnership. The British tennis players Andy Murray, Katie Boulter, Dan Evans, Jack Draper, Jodie Burrage, Cameron Norrie, and Emma Raducanu were also featured on the poster.
The top 5 WTA and ATP players in the world, including Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and Russian stars Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, were excluded from the poster.
Tennis fans expressed their dissatisfaction on Twitter after the trio’s exclusion. One fan commented: “No Aryna Sabalenka or any Russian players but hey, there’s the superstar Burrage. Also, Gauff is 1/3 of the poster. Lord, help us all, because Wimbledon is going to be unbearable and mind you, it already was this year, ffs.”
Furthermore, a few fans observed that Alcaraz and Gauff’s larger images on the poster suggested they were given greater importance than Serbian icon Djokovic.
Others brought up the fact that world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and world No. 3 Coco Gauff received more attention than Iga Swiatek and Novak Djokovic. Another fan replied: “Looking at this poster. I fear for its quality. Alcaraz and Gauff are shown more prominently than Djokovic and Swiatek (both ATP and WTA numbers 1, respectively). No Sabalenka (WTA number 2), and no Medvedev (ATP number 3). Good luck, tennis fans.”
Looking at this poster… I fear for the quality of it
*Alcaraz and Gauff being shown more prominently than Djokovic and Swiatek (both ATP and WTA number 1, respectively). No Sabalenka (WTA number 2), and no Medvedev (ATP number 3). Good luck tennis fans
— G | "WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER" (@G_TFA99) November 24, 2023
Carlos Alcaraz in 2023
WWWWLWLLWW Ranked world no.2, Alcaraz played his last match on the 18th of November when he was overcome by world no.1 Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-2 in the semifinal in the Nitto ATP Finals (draw).
At present, during this year Alcaraz achieved an overall 65-12 record. Carlos has won 6 titles in 2023 in Buenos Aires, Indian Wells, Barcelona, Madrid, London and Wimbledon. Carlos got to the final in Rio de Janeiro and Cincinnati.
Novak Djokovic in 2023
WLWWWWWWWW Currently the world no.1, the Serbian played his last match on the 25th of November when he was defeated by world no.4 Jannik Sinner 6-2 2-6 7-5 in the Rubber 2 of the Davis Cup (draw).
Currently, during this season the Serbian has managed to achieve a compiled 56-7 match record. Djokovic clinched 7 titles in 2023 in Adelaide, Australian Open, French Open, Cincinnati, U.S. Open, Paris and the Nitto ATP Finals. The Serbian was the runner-up in Wimbledon.
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic squared off 5 times. Their actual head to head record is 3-2 for Djokovic. Before, the last time they competed against each other, Novak Djokovic won 6-3 6-2 in the semifinal in Turin (Nitto ATP Finals) on the 18th of November 2023.
In the following video you can watch the highlights.
Iga Swiatek in 2023
LWWWWLWWWW Currently the world no.1, the Pole played her last match on the 6th of November when she beat world no.5 Jessica Pegula 6-1 6-0 in the final in Cancun to win her 17th career title.
Currently, during this season Iga has a 68-11 match record. Iga conquered 6 titles in 2023 in Doha, Stuttgart, French Open, Warsaw, Beijing and Cancun. Swiatek was the finalist in Dubai and in Madrid.
Aryna Sabalenka in 2023
WWWWWWWWWW Currently the world no.2, the Belarussian played her last match on the 5th of November when she surrendered to world no.1 Iga Swiatek 6-3 6-2 in the semifinal in Cancun (draw).
At the moment, during this season the Belarussian has a 55-14 record. Aryna clinched 3 titles in 2023 in Adelaide, Australian Open and Madrid. The Belarussian was the runner-up in Indian Wells, in Stuttgart and at the U.S. Open.
Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka played each other 9 times. The head to head is 6-3 for Swiatek. The last time they competed against each other, Iga Swiatek won 6-3 6-2 in the semifinal in Cancun (WTA Finals) on the 5th of November 2023.
