Aussie sports broadcaster Grace Hayden has turned heads online after unveiling a dramatic new look and revealing a hidden talent as she steps into a high-profile new role at the Australian Open.
The 23-year-old daughter of former Australian cricket great Matthew Hayden has forged a burgeoning media career in cricket.
Now she has expanded into tennis, fronting Sony Sports Network’s Australian Open studio coverage in India for the show EXTRAAA SERVE.
Hayden has appeared in recent social media clips promoting the show wearing traditional Indian attire, complete with a small bindi dot on her forehead, while speaking fluently in Hindi.
The role marks her move from cricket into tennis broadcasting on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
‘Selfishly I am so excited for EXTRAAA SERVE to kick off,’ she said.
Grace Hayden, the daughter of Australian cricket legend Matthew Hayden, has taken on a new role presenting a tennis show in India
Hayden is the co-host of the EXTRAAA SERVE show presented by Sony for Indian audiences
‘I’ve got so many amazing stories to tell with our very special guests.
‘So I’m pumped for you guys to see what we’ve been working on.’
The network also shared a promotional video with Hayden confidently speaking in Hindi to promote the show, a skill she has picked up from years of working in the subcontinent – including in the Indian Premier League cricket competition.
She was also wearing the iconic dot on her forehead in both videos, but there is no danger of her being accused of cultural appropriation.
Commonly referred to as a bindi, the mark is widely worn across India and South Asia by people of different religions, including Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, and is often used today as a decorative or cultural style element rather than a religious symbol.
Indians welcomed Grace wearing the cultural icon and speaking their language.
‘This post is going to go viral in India for sure coz the bindi on your forehead will be loved and cherished by all,’ one posted.
‘That one bindi is worth millions of followers and likes,’ added another.
Hayden appears wearing a bindi on her forehead while she promotes her new show
Hayden also filmed promotions for the show speaking in fluent Hindi for her Indian audience
In modern contexts, bindis are frequently worn as part of traditional dress, festival wear or media appearances, and are commonly embraced by locals and visitors alike.
Grace became the first Australian to front EXTRAAA SERVE on the Sony Sports Network in India when the Australian Open kicked off on Sunday.
She is joined by Indian tennis legend Sania Mirza, former Olympian Somdev Devvarman and commentator Vedika Anand.
The role is another major milestone in Hayden’s fast-rising media career, which has already seen her work alongside some of the biggest names in cricket across tournaments in India, the Caribbean, Canada and the Middle East.
She recently spoke with India Today and said she is over the moon about becoming a part of Indian culture and expanding her career into tennis.
‘I feel so loved,’ she said.
‘Honestly, I’ve always had such a great friendship, and honestly, it feels like my second family now that I’ve spent so much time over in India – obviously in the cricket realm, but I’m moving into tennis now, which is really, really exciting.
‘I’ve always been a lover of all sports. So to tap into the tennis side, I’m really pumped to be doing it.
The move into tennis comes after Hayden’s meteoric rise in cricket as she presented in countries around the world – especially India
Hayden has also worked in the Middle East and worn the local attire while covering cricket in the UAE
‘But yeah, I guess I am really lucky in the sense that I have such a great connection with the people of India, whether that be food, whether that be culture, whether that be cricket, and now it’ll be tennis.’
Hayden’s appearance is also not without precedent. She has previously worn a hijab and other forms of traditional dress while working in the Middle East, particularly during her coverage of cricket tournaments in the United Arab Emirates.
And eagle-eyed viewers noticed that Hayden is enjoying the spoils of her success, wearing a $100,000 watch in the clips.
The glamorous presenter appears to be wearing an Audemars Piguet timepiece, crafted by a prestigious, family-owned Swiss manufacturer of luxury mechanical watches.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches are highly lucrative and can fetch up to $100,000 through high-end resellers.
