ESPN is revamping its Australian Open TV commentator lineup, adding Malika Andrews as host, shifting Chris McKendry to play-by-play and waving goodbye to broadcast veterans Pam Shriver and Brad Gilbert.
The changes are specific to this month’s Australian Open coverage, an ESPN spokesperson told Front Office Sports on Wednesday. The network is still finalizing its announcer lineups for other Grand Slam events.
“We regularly evolve our on-air teams. Talent assignments vary by event and year, and not every contributor appears at every tournament,” the spokesperson said. “This year’s AO lineup reflects the specific coverage approach. We are still working on line-up plans for Wimbledon and US Open.”
The ESPN spokeswoman confirmed the departures of the veteran Shriver and Gilbert. Shriver, 63, has served as a tennis analyst at ESPN since 1990 even though she continued her playing career until 1996. Gilbert, 64, joined in 2004. Gilbert, who won 20 tournaments as a professional, also previously coached players including Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, and Coco Gauff.
“Brad Gilbert and Pam Shiver are no longer with ESPN. We are grateful to them for their many years of collaboration and wish them well in their future endeavors,” the spokesperson said.
The big question mark is the future of Darren Cahill, say sources. At press time, the native Aussie was still with ESPN. The 60-year-old Cahill has served as a tennis analyst at the four letters since the 2007 Australian Open. But he’s also a successful full-time coach. He could be following Shriver and Gilbert out the door. “His working with us later this year is TBD,” added the ESPN spokesperson, referring to Cahill.
The changes are meant to “freshen up” ESPN’s Australian Open coverage, sources said. The major begins Jan. 18 and concludes with the women’s single championships on Jan. 31 and men’s singles championship on Feb. 1. After TNT Sports challenged its longtime Grand Slam tennis supremacy with a 10-year rights deal for the French Open, ESPN decided to bring in some new, younger faces, say sources.
During TNT’s first year of coverage in 2025, the network employed a powerhouse lineup of commentators, including John McEnroe, Chris Evert, Andre Agassi, Lindsay Davenport, Jim Courier, Boris Becker, and Mats Wilander.
Among the changes ESPN is making for its Australian Open broadcast team:
- Katie George will host the first week of coverage while Andrews, 30, will host the second week, including championship weekend. Chris Eubanks, 29, will join ESPN’s lineup of match/studio analysts, including: McEnroe, Evert, Caroline Wozniacki, Mary Joe Fernandez, James Blake, Sam Querrey, and CoCo Vandeweghe.
- McKendry will join the play-by-play team of Chris Fowler, Patrick McEnroe, Jason Goodall and Mike Monaco. The shift was expected. McKendry volunteered to move to play-by-play, sources said. She got her chance after Cliff Drysdale, ESPN’s longest-tenured broadcaster, retired in 2025 after nearly 46 years with the network.
- Shriver and Gilbert addressed their departures on social media. “Thanks for 35+ amazing years,” wrote Shriver on X/Twitter. “Had a great 23-year run,” Gilbert wrote.
- Kris Budden will be on-site in Melbourne Park, providing news, updates and feature stories.
