Jessica Pegula Issues Firm Response to Accusations That She Snubbed Coco Gauff After French Open Triumph

Drama alert in the world of women’s tennis—and this time, it’s coming from the most unlikely of places. Jessica Pegula, known for her calm demeanor and no-nonsense attitude, found herself in the middle of a social media firestorm after fans accused her of snubbing Coco Gauff following Gauff’s stunning French Open win. But Pegula? She’s not having any of it.

In a pointed response during a recent press conference, Pegula made it crystal clear: the so-called “snub” was pure fiction. “I congratulated Coco privately,” she said. “Just because you don’t see a post on Instagram doesn’t mean I’m not proud of her. We’re friends, and that’s not changing because of online speculation.”

The controversy started when fans noticed Pegula hadn’t publicly acknowledged Gauff’s triumph at Roland Garros—no tweets, no stories, no Instagram love. In the age of digital cheerleading, silence can be interpreted as shade. And for tennis Twitter, that was enough to light the match.

But Pegula wasn’t about to be dragged into a manufactured feud. She reminded fans that not all relationships are lived online, and sometimes, the most meaningful support happens behind the scenes. “Coco knows I have her back,” she added. “We’ve shared a lot on and off the court. People love drama—but we’re not giving them any.”

The whole ordeal shines a light on just how intense fan expectations have become, especially in women’s tennis. Gauff and Pegula have played doubles together, supported each other through Grand Slam runs, and built a rapport that doesn’t rely on hashtags and public shoutouts.

Still, the backlash reflects something bigger: how quick the internet is to pit women against each other, especially when success is involved. Pegula’s rise as a consistent top-10 player and Gauff’s explosive Grand Slam win have placed both under the microscope—so even a social media “no-show” is treated as headline news.

If anything, Pegula’s calm clap-back was a reminder that maturity still has a place in professional sports. She’s not here for fake drama—and she’s definitely not here for performative friendships. The message was loud and clear: real friends don’t need to prove it to the internet.

So while Coco Gauff celebrates her historic victory, Jessica Pegula will be right there—maybe not with a tweet, but with the kind of quiet loyalty that doesn’t need a filter.