The WTA Tour has apologised after Jessica Pegula was caught on a hot mic criticising Mirra Andreeva and her coach Conchita Martinez during practice at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells. Pegula labelled Andreeva a "diva" who "needs to be humbled" and suggested her coach eggs on the behaviour. She also claimed Andreeva would be better with Coco Gauff's mentality.
Andreeva, 19, recently won the French Open. The WTA admitted microphones intended for ambient sound captured player conversations, promising no audio in future practice streams. Pegula is drawn to face world number one Coco Gauff at the season-ending event, while Andreeva avoids her, being placed in a group with Aryna Sabalenka, Elina Svitolina and Karolina Muchova.
The tournament runs November 8-15 in Indian Wells before moving to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2027. Pegula praised Andreeva as "wonderful" and "smart" despite the criticism. Martinez began working with Andreeva in 2024 after the teenager reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing