Pegula calls Andreeva 'a diva' after Indian Wells practice
Jessica Pegula, the world number five, described Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva as "a diva" on a live-streamed courtside microphone after a practice session at Indian Wells, California, ahead of the WTA Finals starting on Sunday. The remarks were made during a private conversation with her coach Mark Knowles and picked up after the session had ended.
The practice was being live streamed by the Women's Tennis Association in the build-up to the season-ending WTA Finals, but YouTube streams of practice sessions at Indian Wells have since been removed and footage circulated on social media. Pegula and Knowles remained on court after the session and some of the audio, including expletives from the 32-year-old Pegula, was captured by a courtside microphone. Pegula is a member of the WTA players' council and her representative and the WTA have been approached for comment.
Pegula could be heard saying that French Open champion Andreeva "needs to be humbled" and that her coach Conchita Martinez encourages her behaviour. Knowles said: "She treats Conchita so bad." Pegula added: "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." Spaniard Martinez, the 1994 Wimbledon champion, began working with Andreeva in April 2024.
Alongside criticism, Pegula praised Andreeva's on-court qualities and Knowles reflected on how Andreeva might respond to guidance. Knowles said: "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 said: "She moves like a cat. She's wonderful. She's got the perfect serve. She's smart. She anticipates well."
Pegula compared Andreeva to Coco Gauff during the same exchange, saying: "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." She continued: "The serve, everything, all-around, and she moves just as good. But like mentally, she's..." The article notes that Gauff was 19 when she won her first Grand Slam and that "now 22, she has won two majors." Pegula and Andreeva have only met competitively in doubles and mixed doubles.
Separately, some audio captured an exchange involving world number one Elena Rybakina and her coach before a practice with Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova; Rybakina says: "Stay here. I'm talking to you. Can you stand here?" The report notes Stefano Vukov was suspended by the WTA in February 2025 following an independent investigation into his behaviour towards Kazakhstan's Rybakina and returned to her team that August. Pegula was among players who complained about additional behind-the-scenes cameras at the Australian Open, describing the filming as an "invasion of privacy" that needs to be "cut back" and saying: "You just feel like you're under a microscope constantly."
The WTA Finals are being held at Indian Wells and run until 15 November; Pegula and Andreeva are drawn in different groups but could meet in the semi-finals or final. Pegula's group opponents are Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Linda Noskova.