‘Meant to Be a Joke’: Chris Eubanks Dishes on Viral Coco Vandeweghe Moment

Chris Eubanks has cleared the air about an on-air moment with Coco Vandeweghe that went viral.

During a studio segment for the Tennis Channel at the BNP Paribas Open, Eubanks and Vandeweghe were reacting to a clip where they tested their serve speed, and Vandeweghe, a former top 10 women’s tennis player, recorded a faster serve (114 mph) than Eubanks (103 mph). 

“We could go back out today and try it on,” Vandeweghe said. “I’ll wear this dress and throw down maybe 115 mph. I’ll keep rising.”

Eubanks responded: “See, here is the thing about me and you, Coco. I don’t like to just bask in my own career and accomplishments. I like to focus on the players. I don’t want to talk about myself and what I did and what my serve was.” 

Vandeweghe retorted, “Well, the difference also between you and I is that I keep recreating a new career.” 

Then, Eubanks rolled his eyes.

The moment was picked up by various platforms as it appeared that the duo had a real spat. The timing was also notable, given Eubanks’s three-year deal to join Tennis Channel as an analyst had been announced in late February.

Speaking to Front Office Sports, Eubanks clarified there is no ill-will between him and Vandeweghe, saying that banter is part of their on-air dynamic.

“We love having banter back and forth,” Eubanks told FOS. “We love giving each other a hard time. She’s one of my favorite people to work with in media because of that, because there aren’t that many people that I feel that level of comfort with having that kind of joking banter back and forth.”

Eubanks said he had planned to react “annoyed” or “embrassed” about the topic of their serve speeds.

“In my mind, I go: ‘I’m just gonna show that I’m a little annoyed or I’m a little embarrassed that we’re still talking about it. And we’re gonna have a little back and forth about it,’” Eubanks said. “We went on, we did it. None of us who were around, myself, Coco or Steve [Weissman], thought anything about it in the moment.”

“I had the overly dramatic eye roll, which I thought would come across as a joke because of how dramatic it was.”

The former Wimbledon quarterfinalist said the online reaction led him to rewatch the clip. He admitted that people who may not be familiar with his relationship with Vandeweghe may perceive there to be a real beef between the two tennis analysts.

“I could see how if you don’t know our dynamic or our relationship, it could seem like it’s something that is serious,” Eubanks said. “But I can assure you it was not serious. Neither one of us thought anything about it.”

Eubanks said they even recorded an episode of The Big T podcast soon after their Tennis Channel segment where they continued playful banter. Vandewaghe said she “was a psycho on the court” and Eubanks responded, “Was? Was?” 

After the Tennis Channel clip went viral, he said he checked in with Vandeweghe.

“We joked about it afterwards. I was like, ‘Hey, you know it was a joke, right?’ She goes: ‘Yeah, we’re not worried about that,’” Eubanks said. He said they have an “unbelievable relationship,” one he described as similar to “brother–sister.” 

The two are expected to continue working together on the network. Vandeweghe, 34, joined the network shortly after she retired in 2023. Eubanks, 29, retired late last year and told FOS he doubts he’ll ever return to the court.

“I don’t foresee it. You never say never, but right now I am extremely happy with my decision.”