Viewership down by 66% on Australian Open Finals Saturday, attributed to absence of home favorites Ashleigh Barty and Nick Kyrgios

Channel 9's viewership numbers for the men's doubles final and women's singles final at the 2023 Australian Open have taken a strong hit compared to the 2022 edition.

The Australian TV network had signed a contract extension until 2023 to broadcast the Grand Slam and splashed around $500 million on the deal. The women's singles final was contested between reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka in 2023. The men's doubles final, meanwhile, featured the Aussie duo of Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler at Rod Laver Arena on January 28th.

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As per news.com.au, during Saturday night’s women’s singles final and the men’s doubles final, the ratings peaked at 1.437 million viewers. The ratings don't even come close to last year's numbers, which peaked at 4.261 million viewers.

Sabalenka went on to beat Rybakina to lift her maiden Grand Slam trophy, while Hijikata and Kubler trumped the all-Polish pairing of Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski to win their maiden doubles Grand Slam title.

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In the 2022 women's singles final, on the other hand, Aussie superstar Ashleigh Barty clinched the title in front of her roaring home fans, while in the men's doubles final Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis brought delight to Melbourne fans when they clinched their maiden Grand Slam doubles title.

Although the Aussie faithful did get an all-Aussie pairing lifting the men's doubles trophy again, Barty and Kyrgios' absence from the tournament was quite palpable. The three-time Grand Slam champion retired from the sport shortly after lifting the trophy in Melbourne, while Kyrgios withdrew from the tournament at the last minute citing a leg injury.