The WTA apologizes after the scandal of Pegula’s criticism of Andreeva: “We assume full responsibility for not having informed our players and their teams”

This Sunday a new edition of the WTA Finalswithout a clear favorite but with controversy after Jessica Pegula was ‘caught’ while criticizing Mirra Andreeva during a workout.

The training sessions were broadcast this week on the WTA YouTube channel and The microphones captured a conversation between the world number five and her coachMark Knowles.

In statements that later circulated on social networks, The American described Roland Garros champion Andreeva as “a diva” and stated that she needed to “learn to be more humble”. She also suggested that her coach, Conchita Martínez, encouraged the 19-year-old player’s behavior.

Faced with this situation, the WTA was forced to come forward and affirm that assumes “full responsibility” for not having informed the players that the microphones on the training courts were open.

“The WTA assumes full responsibility for not having informed our players and their teams that microphones, installed to provide fans with a live broadcast of the players’ training sessions, were active on the courts at the WTA Finals,” the governing body said in a statement.

Subsequently, The WTA removed recordings of Wednesday’s training sessions from YouTubealthough fragments of the conversation had already been widely spread on the Internet.

A Pegula representative told ‘The Athletic’ that the American “didn’t have the slightest idea” that their conversation was being broadcast live and that he never expected a private conversation during training to become public. The representative added that Pegula had contacted the people involved to apologize.

WTA Player Council member Pegula also praised Andreeva during the conversation, and described the world number three as “wonderful” and “intelligent.”

The WTA Finals, being held in Indian Wells for the first time, will continue until November 15.