Coco Gauff smashes ball straight at doubles partner as serve goes wrong

09 August 2023 , 16:35

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Coco Gauff accidentally hit the ball at her doubles partner Jessica Pegula in a humorous moment at the Canadian Open (Image: Rob Carr/Getty Images)

American tennis sensation Coco Gauff found herself in something of an embarrassing situation during her doubles match at the 2023 Canadian Open.

In a moment of mishap, Gauff accidentally struck her partner Jessica Pegula with a powerful serve. The incident drew plenty of laughter from the crowd and a lighthearted response from both players.

Gauff and Pegula, the top-seeded pair, were competing against Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi in their quest to defend their WTA 1000 title in Montreal. The match started off on a tense note as the American duo lost a tightly contest first set.

It was during the first set tiebreak that Gauff's serve went awry, hitting Pegula on the backside. The spectators gasped and chuckled at the unexpected turn of events, reports the Express US.

Pegula, showing good sportsmanship, turned around and exchanged a knowing look with Gauff. The 19-year-old quickly apologised, raising her racket to apologise before continuing the match.

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Gauff took to Twitter later to address the incident, writing: "oops sorry @JPegula." Pegula responded with a laughing face emoji and added: "we're a little rusty I guess."

Despite losing the first set, Gauff and Pegula fought back valiantly to win the match 6-7(3), 6-1, 10-3. Their victory secured their spot in the quarter-finals as the pair aim to build on their impressive doubles record.

Gauff's serve hit doubles partner Pegula on the backside (Twitter)

The dynamic duo have already achieved success on the doubles circuit this year, reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open and winning the Qatar and Miami Opens. Gauff, in particular, has been making waves in the tennis world.

She recently clinched her first victory on U.S. soil at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., with Brad Gilbert as her advisor. The 19-year-old now boasts four WTA Tour singles titles and is through to the Round of 16 in Montreal after a straight sets win over Britain's Katie Boulter.

Pegula - a potential quarter-final opponent in Canada for Gauff - has two singles titles to her name, having emerged victorious at the Guadalajara Open in 2022 and the Washington Open in 2019. Beyond her tennis achievements, she comes from a wealthy background, with her father Terry Pegula owning NFL franchise the Buffalo Bills and having an estimated net worth of $6.8 billion (£5.3bn).

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Joseph Dexter