Hot mic catches American tennis player Jessica Pegula calling Mirra Andreeva a diva
The gist
A courtside mic caught Jessica Pegula calling Mirra Andreeva a diva who needs humbling.
The WTA apologized for not warning players practice mics were live.
How it unfolded
- Nov 4, 2026During a WTA-livestreamed practice session at Indian Wells, a courtside microphone picked up Pegula telling her coach Mark Knowles that Andreeva is "a diva" who "needs to be humbled," and that she had "lost a little respect" for Martinez for egging on her behaviour.
- Nov 5, 2026The WTA took "full responsibility" for failing to tell players and teams the microphones were active, and apologised. All practice streams from this year's event were removed from its YouTube channel, though clips had already been widely shared.
- Nov 5, 2026A representative for Pegula told The Athletic she "had absolutely no idea" the conversation was being livestreamed, and said Pegula had contacted those involved to apologise.
Key terms
- WTA
- The worldwide professional tennis tour for women, governed by the Women's Tennis Association.
- world No 5
- Ratings of women's professional tennis players calculated by the Women's Tennis Association and published weekly.
- WTA Finals
- The season-ending championship of the women's professional tennis tour, featuring the year's top singles players and doubles teams.
Source: Wikipedia