In the high-stakes world of professional tennis, where rivalries often dominate headlines, Jessica Pegula has firmly dispelled rumors of a fallout with her close friend and former doubles partner, Coco Gauff. The speculation arose after Pegula inadvertently omitted Gauff from a list of her closest friends on the WTA Tour during a lighthearted interview at the 2025 Berlin Ladies Open, prompting a fan to question her support for Gauff’s recent French Open triumph. Pegula’s swift and heartfelt response, coupled with the duo’s history of playful banter, paints a picture of a friendship that thrives despite the pressures of competition and a demanding tour schedule.
The incident unfolded during a promotional video for the Berlin Open, a WTA 500 event where Pegula, the defending champion and world No. 3, was asked to name her closest friends on tour. With a smile, she listed Madison Keys, Jennifer Brady, Desirae Krawczyk, Caroline Dolehide, and Ashlyn Krueger, saying, “I’m really close with Madison Keys, Jenny Brady, Desirae Krawczyk. Those are kind of like my closest, but all the Americans, honestly. Like Caroline Dolehide, she’s great. Ashlyn Krueger, who is sitting behind us right now, like really nice.” Realizing her oversight, Pegula laughed and quickly added, “Oh yeah, Coco, sorry I forgot her. Don’t put that in there because she’s going to get mad at me!” The playful correction was not enough to prevent a fan from stirring controversy on social media, claiming, “She’s always forgetting Coco lately, I didn’t see her congratulating Coco on the Roland Garros win.” Pegula promptly shut down the accusation, responding, “I can assure you I texted Coco asap 👏🏼,” confirming she had personally congratulated Gauff on her historic French Open victory in June 2025, where she became the first American woman to win the title since Serena Williams in 2015.[](https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-jessica-pegula-issues-firm-response-accusations-snubbed-coco-gauff-french-open-triumph)[](https://www.profootballnetwork.com/tennis/jessica-pegula-shoots-down-speculation-celebrate-coco-gauff/)
Pegula and Gauff’s friendship, forged through years of shared experiences, has been a beacon of camaraderie on the WTA Tour. The duo formed a formidable doubles partnership starting in 2022, reaching the French Open final that year and clinching five titles, including three WTA 1000 events in Miami, Qatar, and Toronto. They also ascended to the world No. 1 ranking in doubles, a testament to their chemistry. “Coco and I played so much for a couple years there. We did great. A lot of really amazing results and memories,” Pegula reflected during a press conference in Stuttgart in April 2025, explaining their decision to part ways as doubles partners after the 2024 Paris Olympics to focus on singles careers. “The schedule just gets really, really tough,” she added, citing the grueling demands of balancing both disciplines.[](https://www.hola.com/us/entertainment/20250423827931/jessica-pegula-explains-isnt-playing-doubles-coco-gauff-anymore/)[](https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/2041806/Jessica-Pegula-Coco-Gauff-doubles-split-retirement)
Despite their professional split, their bond remains unshaken, often punctuated by lighthearted jabs. At the French Open, Gauff playfully called out Pegula for “ditching” her on a planned movie night to watch *Thunderbolts*. “She asked me if we could watch Thunderbolts together and I was like, ‘Yes.’ Then she went home between Madrid and Rome. I could have gone but I still waited,” Gauff told Tennis Channel, revealing she learned through their physios that Pegula watched the movie without her. “She DMed four days ago asking if I’d seen it yet, and I said, ‘No,’ because I was waiting for her! So this is the second time she’s ditched me,” Gauff laughed, adding, “I thought I was being a good friend but she doesn’t care about me, clearly.” The exchange, dripping with humor, highlighted their ability to keep things light despite their competitive rivalry.[](https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-jessica-pegula-care-me-clearly-coco-gauff-jokingly-calls-compatriot-yet-another-movie-date-snub)[](https://www.themirror.com/sport/tennis/coco-gauff-pegula-french-open-1186369)
On the court, Pegula leads their head-to-head 4-2, though Gauff won their most recent clash at the 2024 WTA Finals. Off the court, their friendship has weathered playful snubs, like Gauff jokingly calling Pegula “fake” in Dubai for not responding to movie plans. “You never responded to my text. This girl invited me to go to the movies, I said let me know when you wanna go, and then she never responded,” Gauff teased, later sharing a solo movie review of *Captain America: Brave New World*. Pegula, unfazed, shared a screenshot of their text thread, proving their ongoing communication.[](https://www.essentiallysports.com/wta-tennis-news-coco-gauff-might-just-get-upset-with-bff-jessica-pegula-over-latest-confession/)[](https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/2015400/Coco-Gauff-Jessica-Pegula-fake-ignored)
Pegula’s 2025 season has been stellar, with titles at the ATX Open and Charleston Open, and a runner-up finish at the US Open, propelling her to a career-high No. 3 ranking. Gauff, meanwhile, has solidified her status as a Grand Slam champion, with her French Open win marking a career pinnacle. “I think she is constantly maturing and growing up in front of everybody,” Pegula said of Gauff during the 2024 US Open, praising her evolution. As both players compete in Berlin—Pegula facing Liudmila Samsonova and Gauff taking on Wang Xinyu—their friendship remains a testament to mutual respect, proving that even a momentary lapse in an interview cannot fracture their enduring bond.
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