John & Patrick McEnroe Go Through ESPN “Car Wash” Friday

On Friday, August 28, John and Patrick McEnroe – who will be part of the team for ESPN2’s first-ever coverage of the US Open starting Monday, Aug. 31 – will be at ESPN headquarters for a trip through what is affectionately known as “The Bristol Car Wash.”  The brothers will make the most of their time – as do other visiting athletes and celebrities – appearing live on many ESPN programs and outlets, and taping appearances for others.  Patrick has worked for ESPN since 1995; John is joining ESPN for this event and at times will often be paired in the booth with his younger sibling.

ESPN & the US Open

ESPN will do what no U.S. network has ever done – televise all four of tennis’s Grand Slam events, and do so in one year – with its first US Open from New York – 100 hours in high definition on ESPN2, nearly 400 on ESPN360.com, plus coverage on ESPNEWS, ESPN Radio and more.

Coverage begins with the live announcement of the draw on ESPNEWS Thursday, Aug. 27, at noon. Chris McKendry will host the commercial-free, half-hour show with analysts Mary Joe Fernandez and Patrick McEnroe.  The show will include live interviews via satellite with defending champions Roger Federer and Serena Williams. ESPN Classic will present a 12-marathon of five past great matches Sunday, Aug. 30. Action in New York begins Monday, Aug. 31, for two weeks, with ESPN Radio and ESPN2’s Mike & Mike in the Morning setting the stage the first two days, broadcasting live from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center 6-10 a.m.  The upcoming schedule:

ESPN – All Four Slams, All In One Place

Tennis has been part of ESPN since its first week on the air and provided many memorable moments, but it has never been as important as today, with the US Open joining the lineup, giving ESPN all four Grand Slam events, something no other U.S. network has ever done, let alone in one year.

ESPN debuted September 7, 1979, and the first tennis telecast was exactly one week later, September 14, a Davis Cup tie, Argentina at U.S. from Memphis with Cliff Drysdale on the call. 

ESPN has presented the Australian Open since 1984, the French Open since 2002 (plus 1986 – 1993) and Wimbledon since 2003.

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