Does HBO Have Tennis? Here’s Where to Watch Major Tournaments in 2026
Jan, 11 2026
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If you’re wondering whether HBO carries tennis, the short answer is no-HBO doesn’t broadcast or stream any professional tennis tournaments. Not the Australian Open. Not Wimbledon. Not the US Open. Not even the ATP or WTA events that draw millions of viewers every year. If you’re hoping to catch Rafael Nadal’s comeback or Iga Świątek’s next dominant run on HBO, you’ll be looking in the wrong place.
Why HBO Doesn’t Show Tennis
HBO has never been a sports network. Its identity is built on original dramas like Game of Thrones, Succession, and The Last of Us. Even its sports-related content, like the documentary series 24/7 or Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, focuses on behind-the-scenes storytelling-not live matches. Tennis, with its long matches, frequent breaks, and global schedule, doesn’t fit HBO’s programming model. It’s not about money or rights-it’s about brand alignment.Unlike ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, or beIN SPORTS, HBO doesn’t invest in live sports rights. Its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, does own TNT and TBS, which occasionally air tennis (like the US Open in past years), but HBO itself remains strictly a premium entertainment channel.
Where to Watch Tennis in 2026
If you want to watch live tennis in 2026, you’ve got plenty of options-but HBO isn’t one of them. Here’s where the big tournaments actually air:- Australian Open: Streamed on 9Now in Australia, ESPN+ in the U.S., and Amazon Prime Video in parts of Europe.
- Roland Garros (French Open): Available on beIN SPORTS in the U.S. and Canada, Eurosport in Europe, and 7plus in Australia.
- Wimbledon: Broadcast on the BBC in the UK, ESPN in the U.S., and Seven Network in Australia.
- US Open: Aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+ in the United States. In Australia, it’s on Nine and Stan.
- ATP & WTA Tour Events: Most are on Amazon Prime Video (especially the Masters 1000 events), Tennis Channel (U.S.), or Eurosport.
Many of these services offer standalone subscriptions. For example, ESPN+ costs $11 per month and includes hundreds of live tennis matches, replays, and archives going back years. Amazon Prime Video includes ATP Masters 1000 tournaments as part of its standard membership in many countries.
What About HBO Max or Max?
HBO’s streaming platform, now called Max, also doesn’t carry live tennis. While Max has a strong library of documentaries and films-including a few tennis-themed ones like Being Serena and Break Point (which is actually on Netflix)-it doesn’t offer live matches. You can watch stories about tennis players, but not the matches themselves.There’s a difference between watching a documentary about Novak Djokovic’s 2023 season and watching him play a five-set semifinal against Carlos Alcaraz. Max has the former. It doesn’t have the latter.
Why People Think HBO Has Tennis
It’s easy to get confused. HBO has aired sports documentaries. It’s partnered with sports networks for behind-the-scenes content. And because HBO is a premium brand, some assume it must have premium sports too.Also, Warner Bros. Discovery owns other channels that do show tennis. TNT aired the US Open in 2022 and 2023. That’s the same company behind HBO. But HBO and TNT are separate channels with different programming goals. Just because they share a parent company doesn’t mean they share content.
If you saw a tennis match on TV and thought, “This looks like HBO,” you were probably watching TNT or ESPN. It’s a common mix-up.
What Tennis Content *Does* HBO/Max Offer?
While you won’t find live matches, Max does have a few tennis-related titles worth watching:- Being Serena (2021): A four-part docuseries following Serena Williams through her 2019 season and motherhood.
- The Last Dance (2020): Not tennis, but if you like sports documentaries, this is HBO’s gold standard-same production quality you’d expect from a tennis doc.
- Break Point: Wait-this one’s on Netflix. Don’t be fooled. HBO doesn’t have it.
- Unbreakable: The Story of the Williams Sisters: A short film available on Max, covering Venus and Serena’s rise.
These are great if you want context, emotion, and personal stories. But if you want to see a match live, you need to go elsewhere.
Is There Any Chance HBO Will Start Streaming Tennis?
Unlikely. HBO’s business model doesn’t rely on live sports. It doesn’t need them to attract subscribers. People sign up for HBO because of original series, not because they want to watch a 3-hour clay-court battle.Meanwhile, streaming services like Amazon, Apple, and DAZN are aggressively buying tennis rights because they want to drive subscriptions with live events. Amazon already has the rights to the ATP Masters 1000 events through 2027. Apple has a deal for ATP 250 events. HBO isn’t even in the conversation.
Even if HBO wanted to enter the sports space, it would mean building an entire production and rights acquisition team-something it has no interest in doing. Its focus is storytelling, not scoreboards.
What Should You Do If You Want to Watch Tennis?
If you’re in Australia, here’s the simplest path:- For the Australian Open: Use 9Now or Stan (both free with ads, or ad-free with a subscription).
- For Roland Garros: Use 7plus or Eurosport via Kayo Sports.
- For Wimbledon: Watch on Seven Network or 7plus.
- For the US Open: Use Nine or Stan.
- For ATP/WTA events: Subscribe to Kayo Sports or Amazon Prime Video (included with Prime membership).
Most of these services cost less than $15 per month. Some are free. None of them are on HBO.
Don’t waste your time searching HBO or Max for live tennis. Instead, pick one service that covers the tournaments you care about and stick with it. You’ll save money and get better coverage.
Final Answer: No, HBO Doesn’t Have Tennis
HBO doesn’t have tennis. Not now, not in 2026, and not anytime soon. If you’re looking to watch live matches, you need to look at ESPN+, Amazon Prime Video, Kayo Sports, or your local free-to-air network. HBO is for storytelling. Tennis is for competition. They don’t mix.But if you love the drama of tennis-the sweat, the comebacks, the rivalries-then HBO’s tennis documentaries might be your next watch. Just don’t expect to see the matches themselves.
Does HBO Max stream live tennis matches?
No, HBO Max (now called Max) does not stream any live tennis matches. It offers documentaries and films about tennis players, like Being Serena, but no live tournaments, replays, or score updates.
Can I watch Wimbledon on HBO?
No, Wimbledon is not available on HBO. In the U.S., it’s on ESPN and ESPN+, and in Australia, it’s broadcast on the Seven Network and 7plus. HBO has never held the rights to Wimbledon.
Why doesn’t HBO carry tennis like ESPN does?
HBO doesn’t carry live sports because its business model is built on original scripted series and documentaries, not live events. ESPN, by contrast, is a sports network designed to broadcast games, tournaments, and real-time coverage. HBO’s audience expects drama, not doubles matches.
Is there any way to watch tennis for free?
Yes, in many countries, major tournaments like the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open are broadcast for free on public networks. In Australia, 9Now, 7plus, and ABC iview offer free live streams of major events with ads. You just need to use the right platform.
Does Amazon Prime Video have tennis?
Yes, Amazon Prime Video holds the exclusive streaming rights to ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in many countries, including Australia, the U.S., and the UK. These are the most important events outside the Grand Slams. You don’t need a separate subscription-you get them with your Prime membership.