“United We Stand” took a whole new meaning for the US women’s tennis team at the Olympics! Emma Navarro, Danielle Collins, and even the captain of the team, Coco Gauff, all found themselves joining the fray with their feistiness on the red clay. While none of them brought home a medal, their controversial comments about their opponents left everyone wondering the reason behind their behavior. The former tennis player Sam Querrey called out the team as well, criticizing some more than others.

During the August 15th episode of Racquet Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, the ex-coach of Serena Williams,  Rennae Stubbs, shared her two cents on Navarro’s unlikely behavior in Paris. Throwing a question at the American player, Querrey, she said, “There was an interesting situation from Emma Navarro who is usually so laid back and chill.” In response, Querrey singled out Gauff, Collins, and Navarro for their on-court altercations, implying their lack of composure. Pegula, notably, avoided any controversy, leaving Querrey sarcastically wondering if she felt left out.

After calling Pegula and Navarro the “level-headed” players on tour, a surprised Querrey said, “The entire U.S. Women’s team saw a little fight from Navarro; Coco Gauff had some fight; Danielle Collins always has a little drama of sorts. I think Jessica Pegula may have felt left out. She was the only one who did not have an altercation with the Team USA women. But I think it is something that was just a little moment I think it’s past kind of now. No one’s going to talk about it but it was surprising since Emma Navarro seems like the most quiet, sweetest, calmest out of the female players on tour right now.”  

For context, Gauff was one of the promising candidates to clinch a medal this season. But as she crashed out of the singles against Donna Vekic in the third round, a strange scenario unfolded on the red clay, which began with her heated dispute with the chair umpire. A teary Gauff accused the chair umpire of cheating. Vekic’s shot sparked a dispute after a line judge called it ‘out’, only for the umpire to reverse the decision, granting Vekic a crucial point. “I never argue these calls. But he called it out before I hit the ball. It always happens here at the French Open. Every time. This is like the fourth, fifth time it’s happening this year,” Gauff said after losing the match.

Meanwhile, Collins retired during the third set in the quarterfinals against Iga Swiatek due to her injury. However, before that, she was visibly annoyed at the World No. 1, having a verbal go at her multiple times during the match. The clash ended but her comments didn’t. The American player who mistakenly hit the Pole in the midsection during the match urged Swiatek not to be “insincere” about her injury (cramps) which happened later during the match. Further adding fuel to the fire, Collins accused the 23-year-old of being “fake.”

Last but not least, Navarro faced a similar situation in Paris with Zheng Qinwen in the third-round clash. During the post-match handshake, the 23-year-old player expressed her lack of “respect” for Zheng’s competitive tactics, labeling her as “cut-throat,” in her approach. Zheng advised her to be upfront about it, but by then, the damage had already been done. Querrey’s jab has ignited a conversation about sportsmanship and intensity in tennis. However, he is not alone. Even the tennis journalist, Pete Bodo also criticized the players for their contentious behavior.

American journalist calls out Danielle Collins’ US teammate Coco Gauff for “arrogant” behavior in Paris

Like Querrey, the Austrian-born American sportswriter, Bodo was also not impressed with the women tennis players at the Olympics. He called out Gauff’s explosion as “unnecessary,” while also criticizing Collins and Navarro’s demeanor. “I’d love to say I hate to say it but I won’t because I believe it: the US women tennis players at these Olympics – previously so appealing – have come off as alternately arrogant, whiny, and bitter. Maybe they just fired each other up, and not in a good way,” he wrote on his X.

Further referring to Gauff’s early exit from the Games following the controversy, Bodo added, “[It would] be different if she won.” The storm has calmed now and all the players have moved on to their next quests. But as the U.S. Open looms on the horizon, one question remains unanswered: Will this controversy impact the players ahead of the tournament?