In the vibrant world of professional tennis, where rivalries burn bright and friendships bloom off the court, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula’s bond stands out as a delightful blend of camaraderie and playful jabs. The American duo, once a dominant force in doubles, have shared countless laughs and triumphs, but a recent lighthearted moment at the 2025 Berlin Tennis Open has sparked a mock feud that’s got fans buzzing. During a media interaction, Pegula inadvertently left Gauff off her list of closest tour friends, prompting a cheeky response from the world No. 3 that could leave her “BFF” in hot water. “Coco Gauff is getting mad at me,” Pegula laughed, quickly realizing her blunder and apologizing to her longtime friend.
The incident unfolded as Pegula, seeded high at the WTA 500 event in Berlin, chatted with reporters about her friendships on tour. When asked to name her closest pals, she rattled off names like Madison Keys, Jennifer Brady, Desirae Krawczyk, and Ashlyn Krueger, praising their camaraderie. “I am really close with Madison Keys, Jenny Brady, Desirae Krawczyk… all the Americans, like honestly, Caroline Dolehide, she’s great. Ashlyn Krueger, who is sitting behind us right now, like really nice,” Pegula said with a smile. But in her enthusiasm, she forgot to mention Gauff, her former doubles partner and one of her biggest cheerleaders. The oversight didn’t go unnoticed, and Pegula quickly backtracked, chuckling, “Oh yeah, Coco, sorry, I forgot her. Don’t put that in there, because she’s getting mad at me!”
This playful gaffe is just the latest chapter in the duo’s history of friendly banter. Earlier in the year at the Dubai Tennis Championships, Gauff crashed Pegula’s WTA interview to jokingly call her “fake” for ghosting her on movie night plans. “You never responded to my texts. This girl invited me to go to the movies. I said let me know when you wanna go and she never responded,” Gauff teased, later posting on Instagram, “She texted me on Friday and it is now Sunday and still no response… smh @jpegula gonna go watch the movie by myself now.” Pegula fired back with a screenshot of their text exchange, proving she’d reached out, and asked, “How was the movie 😂,” keeping the mood light. Their eventual *Captain America: Brave New World* outing together proved their bond was unshaken.
The Berlin blunder echoes another moment at the French Open, where Gauff put Pegula on the spot for ditching her again. The pair had planned to watch *Thunderbolts* during a break, but Pegula watched it solo while Gauff waited. “She asked me if we could watch *Thunderbolts* together and I was like, ‘Yes.’ Then she went home between Madrid and Rome,” Gauff told Tennis Channel, adding with a grin, “I find out yesterday—her physio told my physio—that she saw the movie. She doesn’t know that I know!” Pegula’s sneaky move, followed by a DM asking if Gauff had seen the film, only fueled their teasing dynamic. “So the next time she asks to go to the movie, the answer is going to be, ‘No.’ I thought I was being a good friend, but she doesn’t care about me, clearly,” Gauff quipped.
Despite these playful snubs, Gauff and Pegula’s friendship remains a cornerstone of American tennis. Their doubles partnership, which ended after the 2024 Paris Olympics, was a powerhouse, clinching five WTA titles, including three WTA 1000 crowns, and reaching the 2022 French Open final. Though they’ve shifted focus to singles—Gauff winning the 2025 French Open doubles with Katerina Siniakova, and Pegula reaching the 2024 US Open final—their off-court chemistry is undeniable. “I think she has definitely grown up a lot and matured over the last few years,” Pegula said of Gauff last year, praising her confidence and decisiveness. Gauff, in turn, has admired Pegula’s resilience, especially after the latter’s candid essay about her mother’s health struggles.
Their on-court rivalry is equally compelling. Pegula leads their head-to-head 4-2, but Gauff’s 6-3, 6-2 victory at the 2024 WTA Finals snapped Pegula’s 14-match win streak against Americans, showcasing her growing prowess. “It was a tough match. She’s always a tough opponent. I was just able to break through on some of the more important points,” Gauff said post-match. As they gear up for Wimbledon, Gauff’s French Open singles title and Pegula’s strong grass-court history—despite a fourth-round loss to Lois Boisson in Paris—promise fierce competition.
The Berlin incident, while humorous, underscores the pressures of tour life, where friendships are tested by grueling schedules and fleeting downtime. Yet, Gauff and Pegula’s ability to laugh off these moments speaks to their bond’s strength. Whether it’s missed movie nights or forgotten shout-outs, their playful roasts keep fans entertained and rooting for more. As Pegula prepares to face Liudmila Samsonova in Berlin and Gauff eyes another deep run, one thing’s certain: their friendship will weather any storm, one witty jab at a time.
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