A rising Australian sports broadcaster has captivated audiences in India with a seamless cultural embrace, as she steps into a major new tennis presenting role. Grace Hayden, the 23-year-old daughter of former cricket star Matthew Hayden, is now fronting Sony Sports Network's studio coverage of the Australian Open for Indian viewers.
A Fluent and Fashionable Debut
In promotional clips for the new show EXTRAAA SERVE, Hayden has been seen confidently speaking in fluent Hindi while adorned in traditional Indian attire, complete with a decorative bindi on her forehead. This skill was honed through years of work in the subcontinent, notably during her cricket broadcasting for tournaments like the Indian Premier League.
The move marks a significant expansion of her burgeoning media career from cricket into tennis broadcasting on one of the sport's grandest stages. She expressed her excitement, stating, 'Selfishly I am so excited for EXTRAAA SERVE to kick off... I've got so many amazing stories to tell.'
Cultural Appreciation, Not Appropriation
Her choice to wear the bindi—a mark worn across South Asia—has been warmly welcomed in India, with many social media users praising her respect for their culture. In modern contexts, bindis are frequently worn as part of traditional or festival dress and are widely embraced as a cultural style element.
Hayden's cultural integration is not her first; she has previously worn a hijab and other traditional dress while covering cricket in the Middle East, particularly in the United Arab Emirates.
A Meteoric Career and a Glamorous Touch
Grace Hayden became the first Australian to host EXTRAAA SERVE on Sony Sports Network in India when the Australian Open began on Sunday. She is co-hosting with Indian tennis legend Sania Mirza, former Olympian Somdev Devvarman, and commentator Vedika Anand.
In an interview with India Today, she shared her deep connection with the country: 'I feel so loved... Honestly, it feels like my second family now.' She described the move into tennis as 'really, really exciting.'
Eagle-eyed fans also noted a symbol of her success: Hayden appeared to be wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch, a luxury timepiece valued at up to $100,000. This glamorous detail underscores the rapid ascent of her international media career, which has already seen her work alongside cricket's biggest names across India, the Caribbean, Canada, and the Middle East.
