"You are fake" - Coco Gauff playfully calls out Jessica Pegula at Dubai Tennis Championships for not responding to movie invitation text

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, two of the most prominent faces in women's tennis, shared a lighthearted moment during the Dubai Tennis Championships 2025 that left fans amused.

The amusing exchange unfolded during a WTA promotional video shoot, when Gauff jokingly called out Pegula for ghosting her own movie invitation. The moment of camaraderie, showcased the duo's off-court bond.

While the cameras rolled, Gauff seized the opportunity to address her doubles partner’s apparent disregard for her text.

“You never responded to my text. This girl invited me to go to the movie, I said let me know when you wanna go, and then she never responded. She is fake,” Gauff said.

Jessica Pegula, visibly amused, couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“I just got called out in the middle of the video,” she replied.

Adding to the hilarity of the moment, Gauff turned to apologize to the interviewer nearby, saying, “Sorry to the interviewer over there.”

Meanwhile, Pegula, still laughing, asked,

“Do I start over, or just keep going?”

But Gauff wasn’t done. She doubled down on her playful accusation, spelling it out for emphasis:

“You are fake. F-A-K-E, fake.”

After the shoot, Gauff took the banter to Instagram, sharing the clip on her story with an additional playful jab at Pegula. She wrote:

“She texted me on Friday and it is now Sunday and still no response… smh @jpegula 😂 gonna go watch the movie by myself now.”

Coco Gauff's Instagram story reaction - Source: Instagram/@cocogauff

The post was accompanied by a laughing emoji, making it clear that the exchange was all in good fun.

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula share a strong bond, as double partners and friends. While they have frequently impressed the tennis world with their on-court chemistry, moments like these also show their sharp sense of humor.

---

Who will Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula face in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championship 2025?

Jessica Pegula (L) and Coco Gauff at the WTA Finals 2024 - Source: Getty

The third seed Coco Gauff and the fifth seed Jessica Pegula have received a bye in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championship 2025, allowing them to skip directly to the second round.

Jessica Pegula is set to face Liudmila Samsonova on February 18, who defeated the tournament's 14th seed, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, in straight sets in the first round. Meanwhile, Coco Gauff will compete against the winner of the first-round match between McCartney Kessler and Amanda Anisimova, also scheduled for February 18.

Gauff has demonstrated impressive consistency at this tournament over the past two seasons. In 2024, she was defeated in the quarterfinals by Anna Kalinskaya in a three-set battle (2-6, 6-4, 6-2). In 2023, she progressed to the semifinals, where she ultimately succumbed to the tournament's top seed, Iga Swiatek, in straight sets.

Pegula’s best performance at the Dubai Tennis Championships came in 2023 when she advanced to the semifinals but got defeated by Barbora Krejcikova in three sets. Both players will be looking to build on their previous successes as they aim for a deep run in the tournament.