Now Amazon go live with the women’s tour

AMAzoN Prime Video are expanding their sporting coverage by taking the rights to the regular tour of women’s tennis from next year.

Tennis staff at BT Sport have been informed by email that they will not be showing the main WTA circuit after this season, with the broadcasting arm of the online retail behemoth taking over.

It is another retreat from sport for BT, who have held the rights since 2013, and a further acquisition for Amazon, who already have the US open and the main ATP Tour but not any of the three other Grand Slams yet.

last year they are reliably said to have offered £11million for the regular men’s tour, their bid doubling that of Sky. It has meant a loss of visibility in the UK and Ireland for tennis throughout the year and the same thing can be expected for the WTA Tour, who have sacrificed that for more money up front.

Among the complaints about Amazon is that their coverage has been difficult to find, although they are hoping to remedy this by instituting a specialist sports channel. This Christmas they will be going for something far more significant by showing Premier league football for the first time.