The Women’s Tennis Association has taken “full responsibility” for failing to tell players that microphones were active on practice courts, after private comments Jessica Pegula made to her coach about fellow player Mirra Andreeva were live-streamed.
The session at Indian Wells, California, was streamed by the WTA before its WTA Finals began on Sunday. In a private conversation with her coach, Mark Knowles, world number five Pegula described Andreeva as “a diva.” The American could also be heard saying the French Open champion “needs to be humbled” and that her coach, Conchita Martinez, encourages her behaviour.
A representative for Pegula’s agent said she had been “completely unaware” the conversation could be picked up by courtside microphones, “let alone live-streamed to the public.” “Jess has since been in direct contact with those involved, which she felt was important to do personally rather than through the media,” they added.
The WTA has removed the YouTube streams of Wednesday’s practice sessions at Indian Wells, but the footage had already been shared on social media. It is understood the microphones were only meant to capture the sounds of rallies, not conversations on court, and there will be no audio on future videos.
“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,” the organization said in a statement. “We sincerely apologise for failing to meet our responsibility to ensure players and coaches were properly informed.”
Pegula, who sits on the WTA players’ council, also praised Andreeva, calling the world number three “wonderful” and “smart.”
What Pegula said
Some of the audio is unclear, but Pegula can be heard describing how Andreeva and Martinez complained throughout the session, even though Andreeva won every game.
Pegula: “Conchita’s always been very nice to me, but I’ve lost a little respect for her because I’m like, this girl – I think she’s a nice girl – she’s just a diva. She needs to be humbled. She needs to be [inaudible] putting her in her place; [inaudible] stand up to her.”
Martinez, the 1994 Wimbledon champion, began working with Andreeva in April 2024. Andreeva reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year and won her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in June.
Pegula: “Conchita pokes her and eggs on her behaviour.”
Knowles: “She needs somebody to put her in her place. Once she gets that, I think she’ll be really good. I mean, she’s already really good. Look how she moves.”
Pegula: “She moves like a cat. She’s wonderful. She’s got the perfect serve. She’s smart. She anticipates well.”
Pegula, who has not won a Grand Slam, then compared Andreeva to world number four Coco Gauff. Gauff was also 19 when she won her first Grand Slam, and she has since won two majors.
Pegula: “It’s so funny how you see her and then you see Coco’s mentality. If she had Coco’s mentality, she’d be better than her.”
Pegula: “The serve, everything, all-around, and she moves just as good. But like mentally, she’s…”
Pegula and Andreeva are in different groups at the WTA Finals, but they could meet in the semi-finals or final.
The Rybakina incident
Pegula’s group opponents are Gauff, world number one Elena Rybakina and Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. The practice session between Rybakina and Noskova was also live-streamed. In it, Australian and US Open champion Rybakina appears to remonstrate with her coach, Stefano Vukov, as they walk to the net, saying: “Stay here. I’m talking to you. Can you stand here?” They exchanged a few more words, which are inaudible, before crossing to the other side of the court to greet Noskova and her team.
The WTA suspended Vukov in February 2025 following an independent investigation into his behaviour towards Kazakhstan’s Rybakina. He returned to her team that August.
Earlier complaints about cameras
Pegula was among the players who complained about additional behind-the-scenes cameras at the Australian Open in January. The semi-finalist described the filming as an “invasion of privacy” that needs to be “cut back.”
“You just feel like you’re under a microscope constantly,” she said.