Recently, tennis professionals shared stories about the times when they were the victims of racism. The likes of Coco Gauff, Christopher Eubanks, and James Blake mentioned how they were mistaken for other non-white tennis players. The discussion regarding casual racism continued as more players added to Gauff’s thread. However, an unexpected reply from her doubles partner Jessica Pegula turned out to be a standout one.
The replies were filled with fans calling out the casual racism and negligence of the viewers. Even Christopher Eubanks joined in and recalled how he was misinterpreted for Gael Monfils the last week. However, Pegula’s admission stunned everyone and Gauff herself, as she did not see it coming by any means.
Jessica Pegula reveals how she was misinterpreted for Coco Gauff
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Pegula and Gauff have been doubles partners for quite some time now. Together they have participated in and won several women’s doubles events and also reached as far as the Roland Garros finals last year. Plenty of casual viewers make their way to the stadiums to watch tour-level events. They are often unaware of the players and that can result in misinterpretation.
Pegula replied to Gauff’s tweet while narrating a similar incident. She said, “One time I signed and the woman thought I was you…that one got me lol“. Gauff herself was amazed by the reply. Being mistaken for several other players, she could totally get where Pegula was coming from. She replied saying, “all POC (people of color) are the same at this point because what haha😭“, as the absurdity was getting out of hand.
all POC are the same at this point because what haha😭
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) August 9, 2023
In her initial tweet, Gauff mentioned all the players that she had been mistaken for. The list was filled with former Slam champions and finalists, including a fresh addition.
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Gauff reveals the list of players she has been mistaken for
After the completion of the match, players usually walk towards the crowd and sign some tennis balls before leaving the court. While signing merchandise, fans have often mistaken Gauff for other tennis icons. The list of icons includes Sloane Stephens, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Alycia Parks, and Taylor Townsend. Leylah Fernandez was the recent entry to the list as revealed by the 19-year-old.
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Do you think that the players should call out the fans for misidentifying them as other tennis players? Let us know in the comments.
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