The US Open has officially come to a close, and Michelle Obama is sparking some controversy after showing support for one specific athlete on social media.
The First Lady was one of the more notable attendees during this year’s US Open, as she was photographed and filmed supporting American athletes on the court during the women’s singles semifinals. On the big day, she took to social media, including her X (formerly Twitter) account, to praise one player in particular, Coco Gauff, who competed that day. Though some loved seeing her give Coco a shoutout, others were puzzled as to why she didn’t cheer on any others, including Jessica Pegula. Read more about her post and the controversy it sparked below.
Big hugs to @CocoGauff!!! She’s a joy to watch. Always proud. Go USA Tennis!!
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) September 11, 2026
Michelle Obama Posts For Coco Gauff While Attending The US Open
This year’s US Open, the major tennis tournament that took place in New York City’s Arthur Ashe Stadium, drew a lot of famous figures. People from musicians to politicians sat in the crowd to watch the exciting tennis matches.
On Thursday, September 10th, the crowd in the stadium and fans on social media were booming when Michelle Obama took her seat to watch the women’s singles semifinals. Wearing a striped red, white, and blue dress, giving off patriotic vibes, the former first lady was all smiles as she locked in on American player Coco Gauff’s match against Elena Rybakina, as well as Jessica Pegula’s match against Aryna Sabalenka.
Both American players ended up losing their matches, and at the end of the night, the Becoming author took to her X account to write an encouraging message specifically for Gauff.
“Big hugs to @CocoGauff!!!,” she wrote. “She’s a joy to watch. Always proud. Go USA Tennis!”
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Social Media Users Slam Michelle For Posting About Coco Gauff And Not Jessica Pegula
It didn't take long for the former attorney's post about the tennis star to go viral, as it surprisingly sparked a wave of backlash.
In the replies and under various reposts, users began calling out the former first lady, calling her out for drawing attention to only one of the female athletes playing that day, the Florida native, and not Pegula. Additionally, some users went as far as to accuse Michelle of being 'racist,' writing a supportive message for Coco and not Jessica.
"What about Pegula?" a user asked. "I wonder why you only post about Coco."
"Why do you only show up & root for black athletes?" responded another. "Racist much?"
One user went as far as to write that she was "openly racist," as another commented, "I very much admire you, Michelle - but this is kinda disappointing."
"Coco is amazing, but there are other players as well," they continued.
"How about mentioning Jess Pegula, the other American in the women's SFs?"
"You watched Jessica Pegula, but you can't send hugs to her as well?" asked a user.
