ESPN’s premier NBA host Malika Andrews’ little crossover to tennis for the US Open became meme fodder. However, tennis fans are running low on tolerance for ESPN’s handling of the event. Andrews found herself in the middle of a massive social media storm during coverage ahead of the semifinals after an on-air slip-up drew the ire of diehard tennis fans.
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Andrews, who has established herself as one of the network’s top basketball journalists and host of NBA Today, crossed over into grand slam broadcasting duties as part of ESPN’s primetime tennis coverage at Flushing Meadows. However, her multi-sport transition hit a viral speed bump while discussing German superstar Alexander “Sascha” Zverev.
During a live broadcast framing the tournament’s high-stakes action on September 11, Andrews mistakenly pronounced the name of the top-seeded French Open champion as “Sausage Zverev.” The slip occurred as Zverev advanced through the draw, eventually securing a spot in the US Open final against American Ben Shelton after defeating Karen Khachanov in straight sets.
Unlike Shaquille O’Neal mispronouncing athletes’ names all the time, this one didn’t go down well. While slip-ups happen in live television, tennis purists were quick to jump on the error, framing it as proof that ESPN’s main-line NBA broadcasters are being shoehorned into niche sports without proper preparation.
The blunder immediately went viral across social platforms, triggering intense debate among sports fans who questioned whether media networks are stretching their top basketball personalities too thin across different sports leagues.
Tennis Fans flame ESPN over Malika Andrews’ on-air slip
The reaction across social media was swift and uncompromising, with tennis fans taking aim at both Andrews’ preparation and ESPN’s decision to shift basketball reporters into mainstream tennis majors.
Viewers blasted the mistake, with one viral reaction reading, “Malika Andrews of ESPN pronounces Sascha Zverev as ‘Sausage Zverev’… The most horrendous & unqualified sportscaster Ive ever seen.”
The criticism quickly expanded into a broader critique of ESPN’s coverage and the trend of using the popular NBA personalities for grand slam events.
Another fan highlighted the gap between basketball journalism and tennis expertise, stating, “An embarrassing moment for ESPNs Malika Andrews as pronounces the number 1 seed Sascha Zverev as “Sausage” Zverev… Some of the mainstream Tennis journalists just don’t know Tennis, Andrew’s is a NBA journalist moving across to Tennis.”
International viewers also weighed in on the broadcast quality, noting that language barriers and foreign athlete names often trip up domestic studio hosts. As one fan bluntly put it, “All the American commentators need to take pronunciation lessons of foreign names.”
For many long-time tennis followers, the moment felt like the breaking point in an ongoing debate over ESPN’s on-air talent selections.
“SAUSAGE? I’ve stated repeatedly that Malika Andrews is being shoved down the tennis community’s throat 4 some unknown reason. She doesn’t have the bona fides to cover tennis. Tennis is not the NBA (thank God) and if you lack nuance you’ll be exposed. She doesn’t do her homework.”
The barrage of online commentary did not stop at individual preparation, as critics turned their attention toward network-wide staffing strategies. ESPN is reportedly undergoing more layoffs at a time they were also criticized for their reporting on the LA Clippers’ cap circumvention.
Calling out the heavy workload placed on marquee network personalities, one fan raged, “She knows nothing about tennis! The commentators for ESPN are horrible!”
Meanwhile, another viewer pointed out the network’s reliance on cross-sport hosts by observing, “ESPN has about 3 journalists left and they’re all covering all sports lmfao. What is Malika doing in tennis”.
Despite the online backlash over the “Sausage” misstep, Andrews remains a central figure in ESPN’s long-term plans for both basketball and major-event coverage. As she continues to anchor marquee sports events, from the NBA Finals to Grand Slam tournaments, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the intense scrutiny studio hosts face when stepping outside their primary beat.