Fresh off their US Open triumphs, Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz hit the media circuit to celebrate their victories. But during an appearance on NBC’s TODAY show, Sabalenka had a cringe-but-hilarious slip of the tongue that left both champions and the internet howling.
As the world No. 1s proudly displayed their US Open trophies, Sabalenka began talking about her social media plans. With a big smile, she said:
“By the way, I have a TikTok to do with Jan”
Then she froze. Wrong name. Sitting right next to her was Carlos Alcaraz, not Jannik Sinner.
Quickly correcting herself, she blurted out: “Carlos! I’m sorry!” as the crowd and hosts burst into laughter.
Alcaraz, playing it perfectly, pulled a shocked face, pretended to walk off set, and then shrugged it off with a grin:
“It’s nine in the morning, don’t worry. It’s all good!”
The clip has since gone viral, with fans calling it one of the funniest sports interview moments of the year.
“Worst Failure of My Life” – Sabalenka’s Reaction
Embarrassed but laughing, Sabalenka admitted on camera: “OK, this is the worst failure I’ve ever had in my life.”
The Belarusian star, who just defended her US Open crown with a straight-sets win over Amanda Anisimova, clearly wasn’t expecting to go viral for anything other than her tennis this week.
But if anything, the slip-up has made fans love her even more. One viewer wrote on X: “Sabalenka mistaking Alcaraz for Sinner is peak comedy. Protect her at all costs.”
Both Sabalenka and Alcaraz enter history books this season. Sabalenka’s latest victory makes her the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to defend the US Open title. Meanwhile, Alcaraz’s thrilling four-set win over Sinner earned him his second US Open crown and cemented his status as the heir to Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic.
But for fans, this TV moment was a refreshing reminder: even the greatest athletes are human, and sometimes the bloopers are more entertaining than the trophies.
