“I will say next year I do want to play a little bit less doubles maybe after the Olympics,” Coco Gauff said last year. The long-awaited post-Olympic tennis season is almost upon us. With Gauff’s unexpected early exit from the Paris Games, eyes now turn to the Cincinnati Open. The world eagerly anticipates a resurgence from the World No. 2, eager to reclaim her top spot in both singles and doubles. However, uncertainty looms over her doubles partnership with Jessica Pegula. Recent social media activity adds an intriguing subplot to the upcoming tournament.

At the Olympics, “Pegauff” paired up for the first time to represent their nation, the U.S. We all had our hopes up, but their second-round exit from the Games crashed our dreams abruptly. But little did we know that it was probably the last time we would see them playing alongside each other! Yes, you heard it right. Our favorite duo might not perform in the doubles at the Cincinnati Masters, where the 20-year-old established her dominance last year by winning the singles title. 

A reliable user shared the list of the doubles participants on X. But amidst the familiar names in pairing announcements, the glaring absence of Gauff and Pegula has left fans in dismay. The decision might be unwanted, but it is not a total surprise for tennis fans. Last year, both agreed to “balance out” their doubles events in the future.

This year, we have seen Pegula absent from the tennis events multiple times. Citing her injuries as the reason, she left Gauff hunting for alternative options during the Madrid, Italian, and the French Open as well. But it worked out quite well for the reigning U.S. Open champion, who partnered with Taylor Townsend, Erin Routliffe, and Katerina Siniakova, respectively, during those events. And the World No. 1 doubles player indeed had a successful run in almost all the doubles events, reaching either a quarterfinal or a final match.

She even clinched her maiden doubles title at the French Open too. It might not come close to the multiple titles (5) she won with Pegula, but either way, Gauff found some positive outcomes. But after her “biggest dream” of winning a gold medal at the Olympics came to an end, it seems she is determined to act on her plan to opt out of the doubles following the Games. Surprisingly, a few weeks ago, even the 30-year-old player hinted at the same!

Will Pegula play with Gauff in the U.S. Open doubles?

On July 14, Katerina Siniakova posted a hilarious video on X, with the caption, “If you want to win the US Open doubles title, you know who to call.” The American player, Pegula, reposted it on her X account, sparking curiosity among fans with a cryptic caption that says, “Frfr. Doubles queen.” While the Czech player has remained at the top of the rankings in doubles, a shout-out from Gauff’s partner might allude to a different angle altogether. Will she be partnering with her in the U.S. Open?

A year ago, we saw Gauff and Pegula reach the quarterfinals of the event, but as per the trends of this year, this seems like wishful thinking as of now. Although neither of them has confirmed the news of their split as of now, speculations are rising rapidly in the tennis world. However, as both players commence on their journey forward, we are hoping to see them team up once again in the future!