Will tennis be broadcast live at Asian Games 2026?
Alexandra Eala is the only top 50-ranked player participating
Tennis at the Asian Games 2026 gets underway on September 27 at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Nagoya, Japan and will run through October 3, featuring five medal events.
Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong enters as the top seed in the men’s singles event, alongside Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko and China’s Wu Yibing. In the women’s draw, the Philippines’ Alexandra Eala arrives as the outright favourite.
Ranked world No. 18, Eala gave up her spot at the WTA 1000 China Open, along with the ranking points and prize money that came with it to represent her country, and she’s the only player in the top 20 to feature in this edition of the Games.
Also Read: Tennis at Asian Games 2026: Full schedule, fixtures, results, live streaming details
On the Indian side, hopes rest on Sumit Nagal and DK Suresh in the men’s singles draw, but the country also boasts strong representation on the doubles side, led by Yuki Bhambri and N. Sriram Balaji.
Is live coverage available for tennis at the Asian Games 2026?
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Unfortunately for fans, tennis has been excluded from the list of sports that will be broadcast or live streamed at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Initially, it was planned to be televised by the Games’ host broadcaster, which is China Media Group-International Media Port.
However, media reports suggest that plans were changed due to the absence of China and Japan’s biggest stars.
The Chinese Tennis Association confirmed that names like 2024 Paris Olympics gold medallist Zheng Qinwen, 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games gold medallist Zhang Zhizhen, and Shang Juncheng are all skipping Nagoya to compete in Beijing, and Japan’s own top players like Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori have also opted out.
By opting out of live coverage, the host nation saves a significant portion of the budget allocated for the Games, which can be distributed elsewhere. This is yet another addition to the growing list of organisation blunders at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
Related: Asian Games 2026: Full list of sports, events that won’t be shown live
There were some exceptions, however, as the Philippines went the extra mile to provide coverage for their star player Alex Eala.
Cignal TV, the country’s official broadcaster for the Games, stepped in by investing an extra P1 million to install its own cameras and digital equipment directly at the Higashiyama venue, ensuring Filipino fans can watch Eala’s matches live.
Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV hold the broadcast rights for the Asian Games in India, but with tennis excluded from the guaranteed world feed, it is unlikely that the Indian audience will get live coverage of the sport, unless Sony makes a similar arrangement to what Cignal has done for the Philippine fans.
Why isn’t tennis being broadcast live at Asian Games 2026?
Tennis was left out of the host broadcaster’s guaranteed world feed, reportedly because China and Japan’s top stars—including Zheng Qinwen, Zhang Zhizhen, Naomi Osaka, and Kei Nishikori—are skipping the event, reducing its commercial appeal.
Will Indian fans be able to watch Sumit Nagal or Yuki Bhambri’s matches at the Asian Games 2026?
It’s unlikely. Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV hold the Asian Games broadcast rights in India, but since tennis isn’t part of the guaranteed feed, coverage would only happen if Sony arranges separate access, similar to what Cignal TV did for the Philippines.
Who are the top contenders to watch in tennis at Asian Games 2026?
Coleman Wong (Hong Kong), Alexander Shevchenko (Kazakhstan), and Wu Yibing (China) headline the men’s draw, while Alexandra Eala (Philippines), ranked world No. 18, enters as the clear favourite in the women’s event.
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