ESPN has drawn criticism from tennis fans after a graphic error during its US Open coverage featured two images of Serena Williams instead of one of her sister, Venus. The graphic, aired during Wednesday's quarterfinal matches, aimed to list the most major singles wins by American women in the Open era before their 23rd birthday.
While the graphic correctly showed Venus Williams with 107 wins and Serena Williams with 103, it displayed two photos of Serena, misplacing Venus's image. The error was noted by viewers on social media platforms like X and Reddit, with some calling the mistake unprofessional and stating there were "zero excuses."
One social media user suggested the error might have been due to fatigue, referencing the late-night, five-set match between Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz that concluded shortly before the graphic aired.
The graphic's purpose was to provide context for Coco Gauff's ranking. At the time, Gauff was fifth with 89 Grand Slam wins, nearing Chris Evert and Mary Joe Fernandez. Gauff later advanced to the semifinals, tying Evert with her win on Wednesday. She is set to face Elena Rybakina next.
For context, Gauff, who turns 23 next March, could potentially tie or surpass Fernandez's record during the 2027 Australian Open.
