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Sky renews US Open, ATP rights

Sky renews US Open, ATP rights
© PA Photos
Sky staves off interest from BT Sport to retain the rights to the US Open tennis and ATP World Tour.

Sky has hung on to the broadcast rights to the US Open and the ATP World Tour amid potential interest from new rival BT Sport.

The deal for the US Open begins this autumn and runs for three years, including exclusive rights to night matches, the semis and the final. Sky will also be able to screen women's matches - previously broadcast by British Eurosport - and up to eight simultaneous matches via red button.

Meanwhile, the ATP deal runs for five years from 2014 and covers Masters 1000 and Masters 500 events, plus the season-ending World Tour Finals at The O2.

Sky's retention of tennis rights had been under threat from new service BT Sport, which had previously snagged the rights to 800 hours of WTA Tennis for its launch slate.

"The agreements underline our unrivalled rights portfolio across six channels and continue a busy period of rights renewals, with over 20 agreements in the last year alone," said Sky Sports MD Barney Francis. "There has never been a better time to be a Sky Sports viewer."

BT Sport launches this summer ahead of the 2013-14 football season.

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Britain's Andy Murray wipes sweat from his forehead during the men's final of the Australian Open tennis championship on January 26, 2013
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