Karolina Pliskova vs Ashleigh Barty: Date, time and how to watch 2021 Wimbledon finals
Tennis action returned to Wimbledon after a very long time, and it did not disappoint. The women's tournament has given us a lot of twists and turns, but perhaps none as fitting as the matchup for the finals. Current world number 1 Ashleigh Barty will take on former champion Karolina Pliskova for the coveted trophy, a first for both athletes. Neither of them has won at Wimbledon before, so this is truly an epic clash.
In 2020, the beloved tennis tournament was scrapped over Covid-19 concerns, the first time it was canceled since the second World War. However, the All England Lawn Tennis Club appeared to be well prepared, reaping a massive $141 million payout for cashing in on "pandemic insurance". When it returned in 2021, it wasn't without controversy. French star Rafael Nadal sparked concerns after he pulled out due to "health issues". Tennis player-turned-commentator Boris Becker also created an uproar after sexist comments targeted towards Marton Fucsovics’ fiancee.
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Controversies aside, the tournament has proven to be quite an eye-catcher, with some stunning performances at both the men's and women's competitions. Now, it draws to a close with Barty and Pliskova competing for the coveted title. So how do you tune in? Here's everything you need to know.
Date and air time
The women's finals is set to take place on Saturday, July 10. That's keeping with Wimbledon tradition, where the match is always played on a Saturday before the men's final takes place. It won't be the only match that day though. July 10 will also see the men's doubles final and women's doubles final take place as well if you are really keen. The women's final will start at 2 pm local time, which is around 9 am EDT (06 am PDT).
If you are keen to watch the other games, they are all scheduled to start from 9 am EDT to 3 pm EDT. The men's doubles final will be played between Mate Pavić and Nikola Mektić on one team, and Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos on the other. The women's semi-finals are scheduled for July 9, so we will know the finalists later on Friday, July 9.
How to watch
In the US, you can catch all the Wimbledon on ESPN. If you have good old cable, you should be able to watch the matches on ESPN or ESPN2. Alternatively, you can stream them on ESPN3 and ESPN+ via the ESPN app, but this won't be free. The ESPN+ subscription will cost you $5.99 per month, or $59.99 per year.
Alternatively, if you already have a Hulu or Disney+ subscription, you can bundle ESPN+ for $13.99 per month. If you don't have cable, the ESPN+ subscription is really your only alternative. Or, you could get FuboTV which offers a free seven-day trial, and bundles ESPN. We should warn you, that an ESPN+ subscription is independent of the ESPN channel on cable. The two are separate entities, meaning you will need both to enjoy all of ESPN's sports coverage. However, if it's only tennis you are after, the subscription should suffice.