“You’re not gonna pay, Big Mama?” Coco Gauff roasts Jessica Pegula for Rome gelato video

Coco Gauff jokingly called out good friend Jessica Pegula at the BetMGM Tennis Channel Desk on Thursday after appearing on Pegula’s Player’s Box podcast to review gelato ahead of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

“Someone commented and they were like, ‘Did she pay for your gelato?’ I was like, ‘No, she did not!’” Gauff told Prakash Amritraj after a straight-sets win over Tereza Valentova.

“I think she could have paid for our gelato, and I asked her, like, ‘You’re not gonna pay, Big Mama?’ Especially Jess, like if you know, you know.”

Pegula, whose father Terry owns the Buffalo Bills and Sabres, has earned the nickname “Da Fu” from Chinese fans, which Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen translated to mean “Big Rich.” The world No. 5 launched The Player’s Box podcast last summer alongside Madison Keys, Desirae Krawczyk and Jennifer Brady.

“I’m also looking at the views and I think that’s going to be one of their most viewed videos, so I think we should get something out of it,” Gauff continued. “I’m specifically talking to Jess, but also Madison, Des. Jenny wasn’t there so she gets a pass, but they should have split it between all of us.”

Powered by a coffee-pistachio combo, Gauff made up for an illness-fueled early exit from the Mutua Madrid Open with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Valentova at the Foro Italico. Last year, Gauff enjoyed back-to-back runner-up finishes in Madrid and Rome before capturing her second Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, but the American isn’t looking to over-analyze her results heading into Paris.

“I think [Roland Garros] is a tournament where I can usually do well regardless of how the momentum is going into it,” said Gauff, who is hoping to recapture the serving rhythm she found last week at the Caja Magica. “I think I put less weight on these two tournaments, but it feels great to enter Roland Garros after making a final so I would maybe like to do that again. Otherwise, I feel like I find my groove in this part of the swing.

“Hopefully, in Paris, I can continue to just show up for myself. I learned from the last time going into the US Open as defending champion, so I’m hoping this time I’m a little more chill. When your body experiences something before, it knows how to react.”

Gauff will next face either 2023 finalist Anhelina Kalinina or Argentina’s Solana Sierra for a spot in the fourth round.