Key Takeaways
- Jessica Pegula defended Coco Gauff on a podcast, describing the intense backlash against her compatriot as “crazy”.
- The controversy stemmed from a replayed point at the China Open following a video review over flickering lights against Sun Xinran.
- Coco Gauff reported receiving an “insane” volume of racist social media abuse after following tournament review rules.
American stars address hindrance controversy
Jessica Pegula has spoken out in defense of compatriot Coco Gauff following intense online backlash over a contested video review incident at the China Open in Beijing. Appearing on The Player’s Box Podcast alongside Madison Keys, Pegula rejected allegations of unfair play that followed Gauff’s third-round clash against 16-year-old Sun Xinran.
Addressing the intense scrutiny directed at Gauff, Pegula labeled the outside reaction “crazy”.
Pegula explained that players are routinely briefed that they can challenge a hindrance after a point concludes. Both Pegula and Keys pointed out that abruptly halting play mid-rally is extremely difficult when a ball is traveling directly toward a competitor at high speed.
The incident on court and ruling debate
The controversy occurred when Gauff noticed distracting lights flicker during a point against Sun. Gauff raised her hand just before Sun hit an apparent winner, prompting a video review from the chair umpire, who then ordered the point to be replayed. Gauff won the replayed point and eventually secured the service game.
The situation mirrored an occurrence a day earlier involving Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic, which drew criticism from former player Greg Rusedski, who maintained that competitors should halt immediately rather than finish the sequence.
Gauff emphasized that she adhered strictly to tour protocols. Addressing the subsequent social media hostility, she noted that she faced an “insane” volume of racist abuse following her victory.
The WTA and the United Nations strongly condemned the online hostility directed at Gauff, while former champions Andy Roddick, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova also publicly defended her integrity. Gauff was later eliminated from the tournament by Elise Mertens and withdrew from the subsequent Wuhan Open to recuperate.
Jessica Pegula in 2026
Ranked no.4, Jessica played her last match on the 14th of October when she was overcome by world no.24 Jelena Ostapenko 2-6 7-6(7) 6-3 in the 2nd round in Wuhan (draw).
Currently, during this year the American achieved a 50-14 record. Pegula has won 2 titles in 2026 in Dubai and Charleston.
