Roger Federer's five-set victory over Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon men's final Sunday averaged 7.5 million viewers and a 50% share on BBC1 from 2:00-6:30pm local time, according to Jason Deans of the Manchester GUARDIAN. The match peaked at 11 million viewers at 6:30pm, and the 50% share marks the network's best share for a Wimbledon men's final since '01 ( GUARDIAN.co.uk, 7/6 ). The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Hibberd & Turner report the BBC1's Federer-Roddick telecast "scored even more viewers than" the Roddick-Andy Murray men's semifinal, which drew 10 million viewers on Friday ( HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 7/7 ). Meanwhile, BBC1 averaged 3.5 million viewers and a 35% share for Saturday's Serena Williams-Venus Williams women's final, according to unofficial overnights ( GUARDIAN.co.uk, 7/6 ). MAKING A CASE : BBC Dir of Sport Barbara Slater said the Andy Murray-Stanislas Wawrinka men's fourth-round match on June 29, which was the first full match played under the new retractable roof at Centre Court, was a "real shared moment." Slater: "I think there are real benefits from that. I remember the feel-good factor from Beijing. It's not a cliche to say that was really palpable. They are really, really special moments." In Manchester, Owen Gibson noted there was "another fortuitous element to the timing" of the match, as it "encapsulated many of the arguments the BBC will be making to David Davies," the former FA Exec Dir who is leading a "government review of legislation that reserves certain major sporting events for free to air broadcasters." Slater: "We will argue strongly for the principle of listed events to protect the licence payer and the broader audience" ( GUARDIAN.co.uk, 7/6 ). COURT COVERAGE : In London, Des Lynam writes the "best thing" about the BBC's Wimbledon coverage "remains the remarkable commentary talent of John McEnroe." McEnroe was "much missed from both Murray's disappointing semi-final defeat and the marathon men's final," as he called both matches for NBC, which is a "shame for British viewers" ( London TELEGRAPH, 7/7 ). Meanwhile, the SPORTING BLOG's Dan Levy referenced NBC airing tape-delayed matches during the second week of Wimbledon and wrote the net "doesn't care about any of us." Levy: "Sports is just programming to them, and if they think certain sports can 'do a number' they'll put it in a spot where that number can be properly 'done.' They care about getting ratings, and for some reason still think that what they're putting out every day on the Today show ... is worth holding off on live tennis coverage" ( SPORTINGNEWS.com, 7/6 ).
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