Coco Gauff publicly called out Jessica Pegula for canceling their planned movie night while in Paris for the French Open, continuing a pattern that has left Gauff feeling betrayed. After her convincing 6-0, 7-5 victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova on Monday, June 2, Gauff shared the details of Pegula’s sudden no-show during an interview at the tournament.
Gauff arrived in Paris after finishing as runner-up in the Madrid and Rome tournaments and advanced smoothly through the early rounds by defeating players like Tereza Valentova and Marie Bouzkova before her fourth-round win against Alexandrova.
The two players, who are close friends and frequent doubles partners, had intended to watch the film “Thunderbolts” together. However, Pegula abruptly dropped out without informing Gauff, prompting the young American to tease her publicly.
“Jess ditched me once again. Oh, no. She left you. She asked me, and I’m putting her on the spot, so hopefully she’ll win, so she won’t be extra upset. But she asked me if I wanted to watch Thunderbolts together, and I was like, yes,” Coco Gauff told Tennis Channel at the French Open.
“And then, um, she went, I think she went home a little bit after Madrid and between Madrid and Rome. So I still waited, you know, I could have gone. I still waited. Just to find out yesterday from her physio to my physio that she saw the movie. And so she doesn’t know that I know that she saw it,” she added.
Strong Bond on Tour Despite Social Snubs
Gauff and Pegula enjoy a solid friendship on the WTA Tour and have achieved success together as doubles partners, including a notable triumph at the 2023 Miami Open. The pair became the first all-American team in over two decades to capture the doubles title there, defeating Leylah Fernandez and Taylor Townsend in straight sets.
This is not the first time Pegula has disappointed Gauff with a last-minute cancellation involving movie plans. Earlier in the year at the Dubai Tennis Championships, Gauff jokingly criticized Pegula for failing to respond to her attempts to set up a movie outing, playfully calling her “fake.”
“You never responded to my text. This girl invited me to go to the movie, I said let me know when you wanna go, and then she never responded. She is fake,” Gauff said.
Even with these social mishaps, their professional relationship remains intact, but Gauff’s remarks reveal growing frustration with her friend’s inconsistency outside the court.
French Open Progress: Gauff Advances, Pegula Exits
While Coco Gauff advanced into the French Open quarterfinals, Jessica Pegula was eliminated in the fourth round by local player Lois Boisson in a tightly contested three-set match, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Gauff now prepares for a high-stakes quarterfinal match against Madison Keys scheduled for Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Keys enters the round having defeated Sofia Kenin in straight sets and holds a narrow 3-2 lead over Gauff in their head-to-head meetings, including a win at the 2024 Madrid Open.
This upcoming clash marks their second encounter on clay this tournament week, with the winner set to face either Mirra Andreeva or Lois Boisson in the semifinals.
Gauff Vows Not to Accept Further Movie Night Invitations from Pegula
After this second recent incident, Gauff declared she will no longer entertain movie night invitations from Pegula, emphasizing her disappointment in a candid interview.
“So this is the second time she’s ditched me. And so next time she asks me to go to the movie, the answer is going to be no. I thought I was being a good friend, but she doesn’t care about me, clearly. So I hope she sees this. I hope she does win. I was just waiting for somebody to bring it up. I literally told my physio, if somebody asks me anything about Jess or movies or anything, I’m going to bring it up to give my chance to rip her, and this is my chance. I love you, though. Jess.”
Gauff’s remarks underline the tension in their friendship despite their continued partnership on court. The incident has drawn attention to the personal dynamics between two of American tennis’s rising stars, potentially affecting their off-court relationship going forward.