Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina stunned world No. 2 Iga Swiatek to reach the Australian Open 2026 semifinals, winning 7-5, 6-1 on Wednesday. While the Kazakh’s dominant display lit up Melbourne, American fans voiced sharp frustration, claiming ESPN’s broadcast choices overshadowed the on-court drama of the Happy Slam.

In the US, the Australian Open airs nationally on ESPN and ESPN2 throughout the tournament. Fans can also stream matches using ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+, and Fubo. On paper, the coverage appears accessible enough.

In reality, many viewers found the setup confusing and frustrating. Navigation felt unclear. Access rules were hard to follow. Fans struggled to understand which service showed which matches during the Australian Open coverage.

Anger grew after ESPN’s recent pricing overhaul. Under the new system, ESPN+ subscribers who once paid $12.99 per month now receive only limited coverage of the Australian Open. This change surprised loyal fans.

Full access now requires ESPN Unlimited. It costs $29.99 per month or $299.99 per year. Bundles with Disney+ and Hulu are available at higher monthly prices. Options vary with ads or premium access.

A cheaper option, ESPN Select, costs $12.99 per month or $129.99 per year. However, it does not include live ESPN channels for matches. ESPN Unlimited also comes with select Samsung TV purchases included.

Problems emerged when fans logged into ESPN+ to watch the Australian Open. Many realized ESPN+ alone was no longer enough for marquee matches. Access now required ESPN Unlimited to follow Iga against Elena.

The extra cost fueled outrage. Fans missed the marquee matchup between Iga and Rybakina. Complaints flooded social media as viewers felt priced out. Many questioned the fairness and clarity of a tennis match.

Tennis fans mock ESPN over Australian Open coverage for Swiatek-Rybakina match

As Elena Rybakina’s match against Iga Swiatek got underway, many fans voiced anger over ESPN’s coverage. Viewers complained they could not easily watch a marquee women’s quarterfinal. Frustration spread quickly across social media during the match.

One netizen wrote, “ESPN gatekeeping the Australian Open behind their fancy paywall to show ND vs Virginia on ESPN2 is criminal,” pointing out that a college basketball game aired instead of the high-profile tennis clash. Fans questioned why such a major match was sidelined.

Another fan added, “Genuinely evil of @ESPN to put the women’s Australian Open tennis quarterfinals behind the ESPN Unlimited paywall after showing all the men’s matches last night. Equity in sports doesn’t exist to them.” The comment highlighted concerns about fairness in coverage.

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Another viewer expressed deeper frustration with ESPN’s pricing model. The fan wrote, “@espn this nonsense with espn unlimited to watch the Australian Open is a racket. I have YouTube TV, ESPN+ through a Disney package, and you want more money just to watch the thing I should have been able to anyhow? @australianopen take the rights away @atptour @wta.”

The backlash did not start with this match alone. Similar anger surfaced a day earlier when Aryna Sabalenka defeated 18-year-old American Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 in their quarterfinal. Fans again complained about limited access and confusing coverage options.

While ESPN Unlimited is bundled with providers like DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, Verizon FiOS, Cox, and U-verse, many standalone subscribers feel excluded. 

They argue loyal tennis fans are being forced to pay more for matches once widely available.

Another fan summed up the frustration by writing, “@espn words can’t describe how much your AO coverage sucks. Can’t watch the women’s quarterfinal unless you subscribe to unlimited. As tennis tries to get more people interested and watching, you restrict access. You are the worst,” directly criticizing rising subscription costs.

Problems also appeared on the opening day of the Australian Open. As the play began at Melbourne Park, US viewers expected smooth access. Instead, many discovered their usual options no longer worked, leading to confusion and anger.

Beyond subscriptions, ESPN also changed its on-air talent for the 2026 tournament. New faces appeared, while several familiar voices were missing. This shift surprised long-time viewers and added to the overall dissatisfaction.

Another fan echoed the mood simply, saying, “putting Swiatek-Rybakina behind the ESPN Unlimited paywall is so unfortunate.” 

With the Australian Open entering a decisive stage, debate over ESPN’s coverage continues to grow.