Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka gave fans an unforgettable moment during their appearance on the Today Show after capturing the US Open 2025 titles, but it wasn’t exactly what they had planned.
The Women’s World No. 1 made a slip that caught everyone off guard during the morning show. She accidentally called her fellow champion by the wrong name in what became an endearing exchange between the two champions.
Why Did Sabalenka Accidentally Call Alcaraz by Sinner’s Name?
Sabalenka and Alcaraz appeared on the Today Show on Monday morning, September 8, 2025, fresh off their US Open victories. Sabalenka had just defended her US Open title by beating Amanda Anisimova in straight sets, becoming the first woman to accomplish this feat since Serena Williams. Meanwhile, Alcaraz claimed the men’s title by defeating defending champion Jannik Sinner in four sets.
Meet your 2025 US Open champions 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mTZDqaZjdP
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2025
During the live interview, Sabalenka was discussing her social media plans when she had a slip of the tongue. “By the way, I have a TikTok to do with Jann..Jannik..Carlos. Sorry, never mind, never mind, sorry,” she said, mistakenly calling Alcaraz by Sinner’s name. The mix-up happened because Sinner was still fresh in everyone’s mind after losing to Alcaraz the night before.
Alcaraz handled the situation with perfect grace and humor. “It’s 9 in the morning, don’t worry, it’s all good,” he responded with a genuine smile. The Spanish player even playfully pretended to get up and walk away when Sabalenka made the mistake, but immediately sat back down. He later joked, “I didn’t hear a word, it’s all good,” showing he wasn’t bothered by the slip at all.
Aryna Sabalenka accidentally calling Carlos Alcaraz Jannik on the Today Show
Carlos’ reaction:
“It’s 9 in the morning. Don’t worry it’s all good”
😂😂😂
(via @TheTodayShow) pic.twitter.com/GNng0GFqb4
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 8, 2025
Sabalenka appeared mortified by her mistake, calling it “the worst time of my life.” However, the TV hosts and everyone in the studio erupted in laughter. The chemistry between the two champions was evident as they both cracked up about the situation, with their shiny US Open trophies resting in their laps.
What Made Sabalenka Think of Sinner in That Moment?
There’s actually a compelling reason why Sabalenka had Sinner on her mind. She and Sinner enjoyed a remarkable 2024 season, simultaneously winning the same major tournaments. They both captured the Australian Open in January 2024 and the US Open in September 2024. This marked the first time since 1988 that the same men’s and women’s players won both major hard-court tournaments in one year. They also conquered the Cincinnati Masters title, which neither player could defend this year.
The year of Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner pic.twitter.com/K0RlfPPHiC
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) November 11, 2024
This pattern became even more significant on October 13, 2024, when both players won the WTA 1000 and Masters 1000 titles on the same day. Sabalenka defeated Zheng Qinwen to capture her third straight Wuhan Open. At the same time, Sinner beat Novak Djokovic to claim the Shanghai Masters title. Both players even finished the season as World No. 1.
How Did Tennis Fans React to This Lighthearted Mix-Up?
As the moment spread across social media, tennis fans expressed varied reactions to the incident. Some enjoyed the lighthearted exchange between the top players, while others took offense at Sabalenka confusing Alcaraz with Sinner.
One fan wanted them to win a title together again. “oh goatryna😭her and jann need to win a title together so bad i miss them”
oh goatryna 😭 her and jann need to win a title together so bad i miss them https://t.co/4xWHxOi1bp
— noor (@sinncedes) September 8, 2025
A fan criticized Sabalenka for mixing up the names of US Open men’s finalists, writing, “Sounds funny but IT’s embarrassing, feels like she wishes JANNIK has won.. okay, she’s a Jannik fan am I right?”
Sounds funny but IT’s embarrassing, feels like she wishes JANNIK has won.. okay, she’s a Jannik fan am I right?🤔 https://t.co/OxJbx5LLae
— Ella Pow🇪🇸 (@Ellastime) September 8, 2025
Another X user expressed disappointment after Sinner’s loss, writing, “look what you took away from us @janniksin”
look what you took away from us @janniksin https://t.co/h6mxSMA0w1
— ؘ (@jans1nner) September 8, 2025
While most fans debated the moment, one fan simply shared a GIF featuring Sabalenka and Sinner with their trophies, without any caption.
https://t.co/6BMGxzC1WP pic.twitter.com/15YMFL1qrG
— milena (@oliviputa) September 8, 2025
Despite the mixed reactions from fans, the champions handled the situation perfectly. Sabalenka made history by defeating Anisimova, earning her 100th Grand Slam match victory. At the same time, Alcaraz became the second-youngest man to win six Grand Slam titles in the Open Era. Both players are positioned to finish the year as their respective World No. 1 players.
