Tennis fans will need to get used to the prospect of watching the Australian Open on Channel 9 for the first time in 40 years. The big questions for cricket fans now is whether they will have to switch channels to tune into their favourite sport.

Nine Entertainment Co's decision to pay $60 million year for the rights to broadcast the Australian Open for 2020-24 - as revealed by Fairfax Media on Thursday - has upset the status quo for summer sports broadcasting.

Channel Nine has snatched the tennis broadcasting rights away from Channel Seven. Credit:AAP

Having lost its stranglehold on the tennis, rival free-to-air broadcaster Seven West Media faces increased pressure to switch to the cricket. At the same time Ten Network, which has had disappointing ratings start to the year, is very keen to secure a marquee summer sport under the new ownership of US network CBS.

This means Nine boss Hugh Marks may decide to walk away from the cricket - a sport the network has not only broadcast for more than 40 years but helped shape under the ownership of the late Kerry Packer. Marks is relatively fresh face at Nine and has none of the emotional attachment to cricket of predecessor David Gyngell who was close to Packer.