Fans demand ban after Jessica Pegula’s shady video goes viral.

Jessica Pegula was caught on video recording throwing shade at Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva.

The World No. 5 American was preparing for the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, California, when a courtside microphone picked up her conversation with her coach during a practice session.

The video went viral on social media platforms on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026.

In the clip, Pegula can be heard criticizing 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who won the French Open earlier this year.

Pegula referred to Andreeva as a "diva" who "needs to be humbled" and "put in her place."

She also spoke about Andreeva's coach, Conchita Martinez, a former Wimbledon champion.

"Conchita's always been very nice to me, but I lost a little respect for her, because I'm just like, this girl, she's a nice girl," Pegula said in the video.

"She's a diva. She needs to be humbled. Conchita eggs on her behavior."

Pegula then turned her comments to Gauff, the World No. 4 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion.

"It's so funny cause if you see her and Coco's mentality, if she had Coco's mentality she's better than her," Pegula said.

"Serve and everything and moves just as good."

The comments suggest Pegula believes Andreeva has more raw talent than Gauff but lacks the same mental approach.

Pegula did not seem aware that her remarks were being broadcast.

The video was apparently captured from a live stream of the practice session.

Tennis fans reacted swiftly and harshly on social media.

One fan wrote: "Jessica Pegula should be banned from the WTA. There is no room for this in our sport."

Another commented: "Outrageous insight here."

Many pointed out that Pegula herself has never won a Grand Slam singles title, questioning her right to criticize younger players.

Pegula is 32 years old and has been a top-10 player for several seasons.

She reached her first Grand Slam singles final at the 2024 US Open, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka.

She has won 11 WTA Tour-level singles titles in her career.

But she has never broken through to win a major, a fact that fans used against her in their responses.

The timing of the video is especially awkward.

Pegula is drawn to face Gauff in her first group-stage match at the WTA Finals on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026.

They are in the same group along with World No. 1 Elena Rybakina and Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.

Pegula and Gauff's head-to-head record on the WTA Tour is tied at 5-5.

Andreeva is in the other Round Robin group, alongside Aryna Sabalenka, Elina Svitolina and Karolina Muchova.

She will begin her campaign against Svitolina.

Andreeva, 19, won her first Grand Slam title at the French Open earlier this season.

She is known for her intense on-court demeanor and occasional clashes with coaches.

Pegula's comments about Martinez suggest she believes the coach encourages Andreeva's behavior rather than calming it.

"If I was a coach and my girl, you just played four great games, and you're up four-zero, and you're mad at me, hitting balls at me, I would be like, first of all, [that's] disrespectful to the other person," Pegula said.

"Conchita [Martinez], like pokes her [Andreeva] and like eggs on her behavior."

The incident is not Pegula's first controversial public comment this year.

After the US Open in September 2026, Pegula suggested on The Player's Box podcast that men's matches should be reduced to best-of-three sets instead of best-of-five.

She cited late finishes at Flushing Meadows, including the Alcaraz-Shelton quarterfinal that went beyond midnight.

"I don't know what the solution is [to late finishes], honestly," she said at the time.

"My theory with the five sets has always been that they should play best of five, perhaps, starting from the quarter-finals, but that would not have solved the problem of that night between Alcaraz and Shelton."

She added: "I still think they should play best of three until the quarter-finals and then switch to best of five. But would that solve the problem? No."

That comment also drew mixed reactions from fans and analysts.

But the current video has generated a much stronger backlash.

Some fans are calling for the WTA to take disciplinary action against Pegula.

Others are defending her right to express her opinion in what she believed was a private conversation.

The WTA has not yet issued a public statement about the video as of Nov. 5, 2026.

Neither Pegula, Gauff, Andreeva nor Martinez have commented publicly on the incident.

The WTA Finals begin on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, in Indian Wells.

The tournament brings together the top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams of the season.