Pegula’s Big Challenge
Eliminated in the second round of Wimbledon and the Olympic Games after missing the entire clay court season due to injury, Jessica Pegula (No. 6) could have had a summer without flavour or glory. But the return to North American hard courts has completely changed the situation. Titled in Toronto – where she feels at home – then finalist in Cincinnati, she arrived in New York with the status of credible outsider and the expectations that go with it.
Hopes are still alive after her new victory without conceding a single set against the dangerous Diana Shnaider in the round of 16 (6/4, 6/2 in 1h27).I feel like there is more pressure this year because of my form and what I have achieved before starting this tournament.she confirmed. I feel like I had my best feeling today. I want to continue working like this and hopefully play my best tennis for the next rounds. There’s always a lot of pressure here, but it’s nice, I like it. It’s always nice to be an American in the US and have all this support.“
Seeing one of the most consistent players on the circuit reach the quarter-finals of this last Grand Slam of the year is therefore not a surprise. But the questions about what comes next are legitimate given the past of “Jpeg”, who has never managed to break this glass ceiling during her six previous attempts.As I always say, I just have to win the match to reach the semi-finals and that will settle everything, she smiled. All of this doesn’t matter to me, every match is a new challenge. That’s how I see it. The next one happens to be a quarter-final. But at the same time, to be able to say that I’ve been in this position many times is great. I just have to keep putting myself in good conditions and trying to play my game.“
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