Last-minute deal sends 2019 Australian Open to Channel Nine

The next Australian Open will be broadcast on Channel Nine.

Just a week after a deal was declared dead, Nine secured the rights to broadcast the event a year early.

After last-ditch negotiations between Channel Seven and Tennis Australia, Nine will fork out an extra $48.5m to show the tournament in 2019.

It had already agreed to pay $300 million to secure the rights over five years from 2020.

Seven had one year left on its contract, but secured the cricket rights from Channel Nine starting this summer.

This morning’s breakthrough ensures there is no longer a scheduling conflict on Seven, which was expected to use its final Australian Open to heavily promote its cricket coverage.

The deal also means Nine now won’t be without a sport this summer, after Seven nabbed the cricket earlier this year in a partnership involving Foxtel.