Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula faced Leylah Fernandez and Daria Saville in a tense doubles match. The American duo fought hard but ultimately lost in three sets, 6-3, 5-7, 6-7. However, the match wasn’t just memorable for the scoreline—controversy erupted during the crucial Championship tiebreaker, shifting attention from the competition to a heated moment on court.
With Fernandez and her Australian partner, Daria Saville, trailing 5-7 in the tiebreaker, Saville made a bold call, shouting “let” mid-point, despite Gauff and Pegula having the upper hand. Chair umpire Christian Rask sided with Saville, citing a piece of paper that had blown onto the court. The problem? The paper hadn’t interfered with play, and the points were left unchanged. Gauff and Pegula were incensed. “She can’t call let!” protested Pegula, while Gauff added, “It’s the second time! You’re taking points away from us… You’re stealing points from us.”
The tension escalated when Pegula, visibly frustrated, dropped an “f-bomb” directed at the umpire. “She [Gauff] has a sitter right on top of the net. You did not call it until she [Saville] stopped. She yelled in the middle of a point, ‘Let!’, you can’t even f***ing do that,” Pegula vented, underscoring her anger over the ruling. Despite the drama, the American pair accepted their defeat, bowing out of the US Open doubles in the first round. The incident quickly spread across media outlets, with Eurosport’s social platforms sharing the moment.
Meanwhile, Fernandez offered a different perspective on the match and playing doubles in general. “Doubles is just so fun,” she said. “You get to play with a partner. The atmosphere is different, and when you play with the right partner, you get to have fun on court and enjoy it, even if there aren’t many fans in the stands.” Her positive attitude contrasted with the intense moments of the match, showcasing her maturity as a player.
Looking ahead, Fernandez’s strong mentality has set high expectations for her performance at the 2025 Australian Open. Although she recently lost to Coco Gauff in their singles encounter at the United Cup, the Canadian star remains a formidable contender.
As Gauff prepares to face Fernandez again at the 2025 Australian Open, she remains grounded despite her recent success. “We’ll see two days from now. Obviously, I did well at United Cup, but it’s a different match, different story,” Gauff commented, emphasizing that she isn’t relying on her previous win. She acknowledged Fernandez’s aggressive playstyle, noting that the Canadian often uses this approach to overpower her opponents. Gauff also praised Fernandez for her movement, performance, and her past success as a Grand Slam finalist.
In preparation for the upcoming match, Gauff revealed that she had practiced with a left-handed player before facing Fernandez in the United Cup. “I knew it was going to be my first match. It was something I wanted to prep for, just to be ready,” Gauff explained, showing her dedication to improving her game. Despite their rivalry, Gauff showed admiration for Fernandez, while Fernandez also expressed respect for her opponent, calling Gauff a “tough competitor” and “great opponent.”
The highly anticipated singles rematch between Coco Gauff and Leylah Fernandez is set to take place at 3:00 AM EST on Friday at the Margaret Court Arena. Given their previous encounters, fans are eagerly awaiting what promises to be an exciting and nail-biting showdown. So, who are you rooting for? Let us know!
