Are We Friends Now?’- American WTA Star Cheekily Hits Back at an Online Critic Over Sudden Change of Sides

The sun may have set on Jessica Pegula’s Hard Courts of Melbourne campaign sooner than expected, but the American tennis ace has hardly gone unnoticed! Her third-round exit to an inspired Olga Danilović, with a straight-set loss of 7-6(3), 6-3 at Rod Laver Arena on Friday, January 17, left fans with a stark reminder: even the mighty can falter on an off day. Yet, as the dust settles on her Australian Open journey, Pegula seems to be having her own time on X. And what’s catching everyone’s attention, though, is not just her witty presence online but the fact that Pegula has decided to respond directly to a long-time online critic.

The 2022 French Open finalist recently quoted a post from the official Australian Open X Page which had the newly formed Women’s doubles pairing of Mirra Andreeva and Diane Shnaider and their undeniable chemistry; Pegula had her reaction to the post with her playful jest, “Ok adorable.”

Of the many replies, one came in from the account Tennis + UFC—an online critic who has often been vocal about Pegula’s performances in the past simply wrote, “facts.” American Pegula swiftly seized the moment, dishing out an unexpected mood shift with humor and curiosity: “Wait, you’re the account that always tells me how I suck – are we friends now?” Pegula replied.

Jessica Pegula earlier had her fair share of flak from social media in the past and has learned how to handle negativity as part of her career. But the incident last year with Ready 24, her skincare brand, painted a clear picture of how deeply these issues resonate beyond the court. One day, the person managing the brand’s Instagram account approached Pegula, visibly shaken after reading a flood of hateful comments.

The reaction was one of genuine concern, but Pegula, who’s seen it all, simply laughed it off. “Don’t worry,” she assured them, knowing all too well that criticism in the digital age has become a constant companion for public figures. The daughter of Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula shared that the online abuse doesn’t stop at her. Even her grandparents occasionally come across toxic messages on her page.

Jessica Pegula isn’t the only WTA star who has dealt with her fair share of online trolls. Recently, Amanda Anisimova revisited a moment when she fired back at critics of her physique with grace and wit—a sharp reminder of the toxic comments female athletes endure.

The story goes like this: Anisimova shared a candid mirror selfie in 2023 on Instagram that was met with unwarranted criticism and one direct message labeled her as having the “most unathletic body ever,” with “narrow shoulders and giant b***s.” Instead of ignoring the message, the tennis star replied with casual aplomb, typing a simple “thank you” accompanied by a kissing emoji. She didn’t stop there. In another Instagram story, Anisimova posted a photo of herself blowing a kiss to the camera, captioned: “Enjoy your life; I’ll go enjoy mine. The number of people who comment on my body every day on social media… will never understand what the hyper-fixation is about.”

Jessica Pegula’s Australian Open singles campaign may have ended, but the American continues to keep a watchful eye on the tournament.

Jessica Pegula and Erin Routliffe left stunned by the lack of Net technology at the Australian Open

Pegula’s attention was drawn to the women’s doubles third-round clash between Erin Routliffe and Gabriela Dabrowski against Beatriz Haddad Maia and Laura Siegemund. The moment that piqued her interest wasn’t the result, but the absence of net machine technology—a detail that surprised both players and viewers alike.

At 1-1 in the first-set tiebreak, a serve from Haddad Maia touched the net, yet no electronic let call followed. Confused, Routliffe questioned the chair umpire, who informed her that net technology was not being used at the event. Stunned, the doubles world number two exclaimed, “Oh my God, we have robots everywhere and we don’t have them for the net?”

Pegula, who witnessed the exchange, shared her astonishment on X (formerly Twitter): “We have cameras in every player area and everywhere we turn, but we don’t have a net machine?”

Routliffe later found humor in the situation, tweeting, “I feel like I have a point, but also why so dramatic.” The duo eventually lost the tiebreak but recovered to secure a 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 victory.