Jessica Pegula issues response after getting caught calling Mirra Andreeva a ‘diva’
Jessica Pegula has reportedly apologised to Mirra Andreeva after she was caught calling the French Open champion a ‘diva’ during a practice session at the WTA Finals. Live feeds of the practice courts were streamed for fans wanting to tune in to the pre-tournament knock-ups, but hot mics around the court picked up a conversation that Pegula had with one of her coaches, Mark Knowles, about the 19-year-old’s behaviour and her dynamic with her own coach, former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez.
Pegula and Andreeva had practised together during that session. The Russian teenager won four straight games but became frustrated with Martinez and, according to Pegula, hit balls towards her coach.
After Andreeva and her team left, the American told her coach: “I was like, ‘How do you think I feel, I didn’t win a f***ing game?’ Conchita has always been very nice to me, but I’ve lost a little respect for her because I’m just like, this girl… I think she’s a nice girl, she’s just a diva. She needs to be humbled.”
The 32-year-old also said it was “disrespectful” to act that way while winning. She added: “You’re up 4-0, like shut the… Conchita like pokes her and like eggs on her behaviour.
Pegula then suggested that Andreeva could be as good as Coco Gauff if she had the same “mentality” as the two-time Grand Slam champion. “Oh definitely,” her coach replied.
The WTA has since issued a statement, apologising and claiming full responsibility for failing to inform players of the microphones around practice courts.
A spokesperson said: “The WTA takes full responsibility for failing to inform our players and their teams that microphones, in place to give fans a livestream of the players’ practice, were active on the courts at the WTA Finals. We sincerely apologise for failing to meet our responsibility to ensure players and coaches were properly informed.”
Now, according to The Athletic, Pegula has also apologised to Andreeva and others she spoke about. A representative for the world No. 4 told the publication that she “had absolutely no idea that her conversation with Mark was being livestreamed and certainly never expected a private discussion during practice to be made public,” and that she reached out directly to apologise to those involved.
It comes after players raised growing concerns about cameras placed in behind the scenes areas. During this year’s Australian Open, Gauff was filmed smashing her racket after losing in the quarter-finals. She later said: “I feel like certain moments don’t need to broadcast.”
Several players, including Pegula, Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek, publicly agreed with Gauff and leapt to her defence. Action has since been taken, with Wimbledon among those placing signs in areas being broadcast to make players aware.
