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“You’re disgusting”; “Is she serious?” – Jessica Pegula faces fan backlash for defending Alexander Zverev amid World No. 1 criticism

Jessica Pegula has become embroiled in controversy after voicing her support for Alexander Zverev, who is set to end the season as the ATP World No. 1.

By Urvi Mehra · Sportskeeda

Published: Saturday, 17 October 2026 at 12:00 PM

Key Things to Know

Jessica Pegula faced severe fan backlash after defending Alexander Zverev's rise to ATP World No. 1 on a podcast.
Pegula argued that Zverev earned the ranking by winning two Grand Slams while rivals dealt with injury breaks.
Supporters expressed outrage, criticizing Pegula for ignoring past domestic abuse allegations made against Zverev by two former girlfriends.

The Story in 60 Seconds

American tennis player Jessica Pegula faced intense criticism from fans after defending Alexander Zverev's impending rise to ATP World No. 1. Speaking on "The Player's Box" podcast, Pegula dismissed critics who questioned Zverev's top ranking, noting that he won two Grand Slams while rivals Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz dealt with injuries.

Fans voiced outrage online, arguing that Pegula ignored the past domestic violence allegations against Zverev by two former partners, Olga Sharypova and Brenda Patea. The controversy follows Pegula's second-round loss at the Wuhan Open, while Zverev reached the Shanghai Masters semifinals.

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