Jessica Pegula defends Coco Gauff amid cheating accusations in Beijing

Jessica Pegula called the backlash against Coco Gauff 'crazy' during an episode of The Player’s Box Podcast, addressing criticism stemming from an incident at the China Open in Beijing on October 5. Gauff had raised her hand after noticing flickering lights as her opponent, Sun Xinran, prepared to hit a winner. The chair umpire reviewed the play and ordered it to be replayed, resulting in controversy and accusations of cheating against Gauff. The incident triggered a wave of online abuse directed at Gauff, which she condemned as racist. Both Pegula and Madison Keys defended Gauff, emphasizing the difficulty of stopping play in the middle of a point. The WTA expressed its support for Gauff, condemning the racial abuse.

• 7:00 PMYahoo Sports — Jessica Pegula calls Coco Gauff criticism “crazy” as tennis controversy escalates