Former First Lady Michelle Obama drew backlash on social media after posting a public tribute to Coco Gauff following the US Open semifinals but saying nothing about fellow American Jessica Pegula, who lost on the same night.
Both women, the only two Americans left in the draw, fell in their semifinal matches Thursday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Pegula lost to Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. Gauff pushed Elena Rybakina to three sets before going down. Obama attended both matches in person.
Hours later, Obama posted on X: "Big hugs to @CocoGauff!!! She's a joy to watch. Always proud. Go USA Tennis!!" She made no mention of Pegula's loss. The omission did not go unnoticed.
The reaction on social media was swift and pointed. Tennis journalist Pavvy G laid out the contrast directly:
"Two US women lost in the @usopen semis last night, Jess Pegula and Coco Gauff. Michelle Obama sends a message to Gauff but not Pegula? Why can't people just see players as human beings not what colour skin they are? Establishment are creating divisions not unity, wake up peeps"
Gauff is Black. Pegula is white. Both are American. Both lost. Obama praised one and ignored the other. That pattern is what drew the criticism, not any single comment in isolation.
One unnamed user on X put it bluntly: "Why do you only show up & root for black athletes?!? Racist much?" Another wrote: "Melania Trump would never congratulate and praise only the loser who happens to be the same color. You continue to be a disgrace."
Obama has not responded to the criticism or explained why she singled out Gauff. No public statement addressed Pegula's match.
This is not the first time Obama has drawn attention for offering high-profile support to specific Black female athletes. She has been a vocal backer of WNBA star Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream, previously declaring in public remarks: "Don't mess with this girl. Don't mess with her spirit. Do not mess with this angel. Stop it. Just stop it."
Those comments, and Obama's broader public advocacy, have earned her praise in some corners. But they have also fueled a running debate about whether the former First Lady's support is reserved for athletes who share her racial background, and whether that selective cheerleading, from someone of her stature, deepens rather than bridges divides.
Obama has long been a lightning rod for conservative criticism, and her public appearances and social media posts continue to make strong reactions on both sides of the political aisle.
The former First Lady's post-White House profile has kept her in the spotlight for reasons well beyond sports. Her personal life, her public statements, and even offhand remarks have drawn sustained scrutiny. She opened up about her marriage to Barack Obama in ways that made headlines, and supporters and critics alike continue to parse her every move.
What makes the US Open episode stand out is its simplicity. This was not a case of one athlete playing on the other side of the country, or competing in a different sport, or losing weeks apart. Pegula and Gauff both lost their semifinals at the same venue, on the same Thursday night, in front of the same crowd, a crowd that included Obama herself.
Obama's post tagged Gauff, praised her play, expressed pride, and added "Go USA Tennis!!", a phrase that would seem to cover both American players. But the words went only to one of them.
The controversy has also surfaced at a time when Obama's public conduct has repeatedly become a flashpoint. A UFC fighter's remarks about the former First Lady at a White House event earlier made their own firestorm, and Vice President Vance dismissed the ensuing outrage as overblown.
None of that context changes the basic question raised by Thursday night's post: If you are going to cheer for "USA Tennis," why leave one of the two Americans out?
As of the time of the social media backlash, Obama had not amended her post, added a message for Pegula, or addressed the criticism in any public forum. No spokesperson statement appeared in the coverage. The post praising Gauff remained up without qualification.
Several open questions remain. Did Obama make any private outreach to Pegula? Did she consider and decide against a public message? Was the omission deliberate or an oversight? Without a response from Obama or her team, the public is left with what it can see: one post, one player praised, one player ignored, and a racial difference between the two.
For critics, the silence speaks for itself. When someone with the platform and visibility of a former First Lady chooses to celebrate one American athlete and not another after an identical outcome on the same night, the choice carries weight, whether or not it was intended to.
If "Go USA Tennis" only means some American players, it does not mean much at all.