The WTA Tour has acknowledged that it failed to inform players and their teams at its season-ending, flagship event that practice-court conversations which they believed to be private were being recorded by microphones.
posted by u/Ok-Soil-5133 · 2026-11-05 16:33 UTC
"In a statement issued Thursday, the tour said that it “takes full responsibility for failing to inform our players and their teams that microphones, in place to give fans a livestream of the players’ practice, were active on the courts” at the WTA Finals, the championship for the best eight singles players and doubles teams of the year.
It followed world No. 5 Jessica Pegula and one of her coaches being caught on a hot mic having a conversation in which Pegula labeled French Open champion Mirra Andreeva a “diva” and said that she had “lost respect” for Andreeva’s coach for enabling on-court behavior."
Original link: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7750694/2026/11/04/wta-finals-2026-draw-prize-money-format-schedule/
## Top comments
1. u/rawspeghetti · 2026-11-05 16:36 UTC
I love this sport but it's so unserious at times
Why would you not tell your athletes this? Why would you thinks it's ok to not tell high profile individuals that everything they say and do is being broadcast live?
2. u/eggoed · 2026-11-05 16:54 UTC
The WTA leadership in particular seems to be a comedy sjow
3. u/MoneyTakerBaby · 2026-11-05 16:49 UTC
Agreed, it's just hard to take certain things/decisions they do seriously. IDK how the hell they made this big of an oversight... unless it was planned just to stir up some attention... who knows though.
4. u/wanderlust_m · 2026-11-05 16:53 UTC
The legal risk is too high for this to be intentional
5. u/MoneyTakerBaby · 2026-11-05 16:57 UTC
Yeah true, I'd assume it's just stupidity
6. u/SK90035 · 2026-11-05 17:23 UTC
What legal risk? The owner of the tournament, Larry Ellison, have literally made a statement about wanting cameras everywhere (not just on his tennis properties).
7. u/wanderlust_m · 2026-11-05 17:40 UTC
It is illegal to record individuals without their consent in the state of California. Unless they singed a clear statement that they're being recorded on premises at all times (possible), recording them without informed consent was illegal.
Ellison making a statement has no bearing on this?
8. u/nimbus2105 · 2026-11-05 17:29 UTC
He doesn’t own wta finals
9. u/SK90035 · 2026-11-05 17:34 UTC
He is one of the if not the richest owner in the sports. Nothing is going to happen to him.
10. u/nimbus2105 · 2026-11-05 17:51 UTC
I’m noting that the wta finals and Indian wells are separate tournaments and it would be incorrect to assume that the level of control Ellison has over IW would extend to wta finals. In other words, he probably had nothing to do with the mics on the practice courts. It would be like saying the giants control what happens at concerts at MetLife stadium
11. u/onanadhocbasis · 2026-11-05 19:41 UTC
haha, he controls everything; he and a handful of other tech Jillionaires
12. u/lovelydayfora · 2026-11-05 17:26 UTC
Also maybe just don't live stream practice? Just because you can offer some bizarre fan experience does not mean you should
13. u/ax6klbjckhunter · 2026-11-05 17:33 UTC
I think live streaming practices is a great idea. The issue is not telling players there were mics on the court. Women’s tennis needs to make more money or the WTA will go under, extra content is necessary to try and get more engagement
14. u/Overlord0123 · 2026-11-05 16:56 UTC
Because business + media give 0 f about human rights.
15. u/SK90035 · 2026-11-05 17:24 UTC
They will recorded on the practice court. Saying this is human rights violation is a bit far isn't it?
16. u/onanadhocbasis · 2026-11-05 19:43 UTC
You could say it's a violation of their civil rights if they are recorded WTK
17. u/MathsNerd1996 · 2026-11-05 17:52 UTC
Such a huge F-up on multiple fronts
18. u/ZookeepergameHot4473 · 2026-11-05 16:53 UTC
Cause they want it to be just like the NBA soap opera
19. u/GregorSamsaa · 2026-11-05 16:44 UTC
You would think a high profile individual would assume this is the case 24/7. Like unless you’re sitting at your own home or a controlled environment that you put together, you should always assume a camera is on you and a mic is on.
It sucks that’s the case but that’s definitely the standard they should be operating on. And to be on a court and thinking a convo like that is really on JPeg and her team.
20. u/PhalanX4012 · 2026-11-05 16:49 UTC
Insane, parasocial take. No one should have to assume their conversations are being recorded 24/7.