WTA apologizes after hot mic catches Pegula calling Andreeva a diva.

The WTA issued an apology Thursday for not informing players and coaches that microphones were active during practice sessions at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, California.

The apology came one day after American tennis pro Jessica Pegula was caught on a livestream criticizing Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.

Pegula, 32, was speaking with her coach Mark Knowles after a joint practice session on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

She called Andreeva, 19, a “diva” and said she “needs to be humbled” and “put in her place.”

Pegula also referenced Conchita Martínez, who coaches Andreeva, saying the former Wimbledon champion “eggs on her behavior.”

“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 is heard saying in the video.

“You’re four-zero, shut the f--- ...” she continued.

Pegula added that if Andreeva had Coco Gauff’s “mentality,” she would “be better than Coco.”

The practice sessions were livestreamed on the WTA’s YouTube channel to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the season-ending championship.

The microphones were meant to pick up ambient court noise, not conversations between players and coaches, a tour source told Front Office Sports.

But the audio captured Pegula’s private remarks in full.

The WTA later removed the practice livestreams from YouTube.

Clips of the conversation had already spread widely on social media.

“The WTA takes full responsibility for failing to inform our players and their teams that microphones, in place to give fans a livestream of the players’ practice, were active on the courts at the WTA Finals,” the organization said in a statement to Front Office Sports’ Colin Salao on Thursday, Nov. 5.

“We sincerely apologize for failing to meet our responsibility to ensure players and coaches were properly informed,” the WTA concluded.

A representative for Pegula told The Athletic that the American had “absolutely no idea” her conversation was being livestreamed.

The representative added that Pegula had contacted those involved to apologize.

Pegula, a member of the WTA Players’ Council, also praised Andreeva in the conversation, describing the world No. 3 as “wonderful” and “smart.”

The WTA said practice livestreams at the Finals will continue, but without audio.

The incident has drawn criticism from figures across the tennis world.

Serena Williams’ coach called out the WTA for making the conversation public.

“How is this getting leaked?” the coach wrote, slamming the tour for its handling of the situation.

The WTA Finals feature the top eight singles players in the world.

Pegula is set to face Coco Gauff in the championship match on Sunday, Nov. 8.

Andreeva, the 19-year-old French Open champion, is also competing in the tournament.

The hot-mic controversy has become a major talking point heading into the finals.

Pegula’s remarks were made after a practice session in which Andreeva reportedly won four consecutive games.

Andreeva had allegedly become frustrated during that stretch.

“If I were her coach and my player had just played four great games, she’s up 4-0, she gets mad at me and chases me down… I’d tell her not to talk to me like that,” Pegula told Knowles.

She called that kind of behaviour disrespectful.

“You’re up 4-0, like, shut the f*** up,” she said.

The WTA’s apology did not address whether any disciplinary action would be taken against Pegula or the tour itself.

The statement focused solely on the communication failure.

The tour acknowledged it had not informed players that microphones on the practice courts were active.

The incident has raised questions about player privacy during what are supposed to be closed practice sessions.

Practice sessions are typically not open to the public or broadcast with audio.

The WTA had introduced the livestream to give fans more access to the season-ending event.

But the decision to keep microphones active without telling players has been widely criticized.

Several players and coaches have expressed frustration with the tour’s handling of the situation.

The WTA has not commented on whether any players or coaches were disciplined as a result of the leak.

The tour’s apology is seen as an attempt to defuse tension ahead of the championship matches.

Pegula’s representative emphasized that she never intended for her comments to be made public.