Australian Open broadcaster faces backlash after | Sports News

Australian Open viewers did little to cover their confusion after broadcaster Chris Evert mispronounced Aryna Sabalenka’s identify earlier than likening her to a pop icon.

To add insult to harm, Evert unintentionally referred to Sabalenka as “Ariana” whereas offering her two cents following the match. The 71-year-old swiftly corrected her mistake whereas additionally poking enjoyable on the on-air gaffe.

“But listen, Ariana, Aryna. Ariana Grande!” Evert mentioned. “Aryna Sabalenka is not used to, she’s used to having every match on her racket, and she finally came up against an opponent who plays the same way,” Evert mentioned, misspelling Sabalenka’s identify, however continued together with her essential review of the tennis match.

“She did not have any control over the way Rybakina played. Rybakina just played so well at times, and she had one little letdown, but she never gave up, she never gave up belief, and at the end of the day, she was a more solid player.”

Taking to social media, droves of tennis followers questioned in the event that they accurately heard Evert identify Sabalenka and Grande in the identical sentence. “She mispronounced Aryna and then tried to cover it up in a bizarre way,” an X consumer wrote. Another requested: “Did Chris Evert really call Aryna Sabalenka, Ariana Grande?”

A 3rd chimed in, “She and Martina should never have a mic in front of them again.”

Others swiftly rushed to the protection of Evert and counseled the tennis legend for locating the humorous facet of her blunder. “No, she was kidding after she mispronounced Aryna’s first name,” a particular person mentioned, with another person including: “It was in jest lol.”

Saturday’s end is undoubtedly a powerful tablet to swallow for Sabalenka, who’s turn out to be all-too accustomed to the sensation of dropping within the late rounds of majors. During the 2025 marketing campaign, she misplaced to Madison Keys within the Australian Open remaining and Coco Gauff within the French Open remaining earlier than falling to Amanda Anisimova within the Wimbledon semi-final.

Though Sabalenka pressured that she realized from her errors final season, Evert conceded that the 27-year-old nonetheless has a methods to go. “Well, you know, as Mary Joe said, last year, she could have won this tournament, beaten by Madison Keys,” Evert famous. “She could have won the French Open. She could have won three slams.

“You know, three majors last year, and she said, ‘I know what I did wrong and I’m not gonna do it again.’ And then this year, she was up 3-0 in the third set. And, you know, she just let it, I think, slip through her fingers a little bit.”