Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys recently shared their pet peeves about ATP players. They discussed how some men’s players do not show respect towards WTA players, travel with large teams, and other related issues.
Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys Open Up About Pet Peeves They Have About ATP Players
Recently, while speaking to Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson during an appearance on the “Nothing Major Show” podcast, Pegula and Keys were asked to share their pet peeves regarding ATP players. In response, the former World No. 3 expressed her frustration with the fact that the male players travel with large entourages, which often occupy an entire gym — something that she finds bothersome.
Pegula also mentioned that these ATP players often travel with “tons of kids,” as well as their wives, girlfriends, grandmothers, nannies, and more, which leads to overcrowding in dining areas and creates challenges for other players.
“The big crew, traveling with the crew, takes up the entire gym. They’re really bad in the gym. The men are really, really bad. I’m not going to name them. I will say it tends to be a lot of doubles players. Tons of kids. I’ve seen the grandma, the nanny, the wife, the girlfriend, like all in dining. And I’m like, ‘What is going on?’ There’s just too much going on,” Pegula said.
Keys stated that many ATP players do not show respect toward WTA players. She shared an example of switching courts in which some male players entered the court before her time was up.
“Lots of them. I feel like the guys don’t always have a lot of respect for us when we are on the court. So, we try to wait until it’s time to switch. I’ve had guys kind of start coming out, and I’m like, “Wait, what time is it?” Oh, I have three more minutes. Okay, cool,” Keys said.
Keys echoed Pegula’s concerns about the size of ATP player entourages and also pointed out that many ATP players do not clean up after themselves, leaving towels and other items scattered around.
“I also feel like the guys are traveling with a lot of people these days, like a lot. A lot of guys have wags. They have kids hang out in the gym. I find they don’t pick up after themselves nearly as well. Towels everywhere,” she added.
On the tennis side of things, Pegula began her 2026 season at the Brisbane International. She was seeded fourth and started her campaign in the second round, having received a first-round bye. She defeated Anna Kalinskaya, Dayana Yastremska, and Liudmila Samsonova before losing to eventual runner-up Marta Kostyuk in the semifinals.
On the other hand, Keys competed at the 2026 Adelaide International, where she was defending her title after winning in 2025 by defeating Pegula in the final. This year, she was seeded second and began her campaign in the second round following a first-round bye.
In her opening match, the World No. 9 defeated qualifier Tereza Valentová, but she was eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual runner-up, eighth seed Victoria Mboko.
Who Will Pegula and Keys Face at the 2026 Australian Open 1R?
Looking ahead, Pegula and Keys are scheduled to compete at the 2026 Australian Open, with the singles main draw matches beginning on Jan. 18, 2026.
Pegula is seeded sixth in singles at the Melbourne Major and will start her campaign by facing Anastasia Zakharova in the first round. This match will mark the first meeting between the two players on the WTA Tour, with the winner advancing to face either Emiliana Arango or McCartney Kessler in the second round.
On the other hand, Keys will enter the 2026 Australian Open as the defending champion, having won the title last year by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final. This year, she is seeded ninth at the Grand Slam tournament and will begin her run against Oleksandra Oliynykova in the first round.
Keys and Oliynykova have never faced each other on the WTA Tour, and their upcoming first-round match at the Melbourne Major will mark their first meeting. The winner of this match will move on to face either Ashlyn Krueger or Sára Bejlek in the second round.