PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 14, 2025

Jessica Pegula

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Jess, welcome to Stuttgart. It's your first time here. What are some of your opening reflections on the tournament? I know you just did the Porsche parking challenge for the first time.

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, super excited to be here. It's my first time, like you said. Just trying to get a feel for the courts, how everything plays. I don't think I've ever played an indoor tournament on red clay. I feel like that's a little bit of adjusting, that with the jet leg and stuff from a few days ago.

So far I feel like I like the conditions. It plays like pretty slick, pretty fast, especially center court. Excited to, yeah, get some matches in this week, hopefully play some good tennis at my debut here.

Did the driving challenge. I did pretty well. First time I think really driving a Porsche. It was pretty cool, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. It's early April. I think you've already played seven or eight tournaments. You've won more matches than any other player on the tour this year. Is that how you like it, keep busy, playing a lot of matches?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I think it's a little bit because I've been playing more than others.

This time last year I missed this swing coming into the red clay. I didn't miss Miami and Charleston. I felt like I just was a little burnt out last year. I feel like this year I feel so much more fresh, I feel so much more ready to play and to travel and stuff like that. I think that's really important.

If I'm feeling really good, I like to take advantage of it. I think from last year I learned just that I was a little burnt out and I didn't need to play as much. I didn't as much last year. But this year I'm like, Oh, I feel good, I feel ready to go, so I might as well take advantage of that.

Luckily it's been paying off with lots of matches. I think that's just what happens when you're doing well, you're playing more. That's always a good problem to have.

Q. You're feeling good physically as well as mentally?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, really well. Yeah, I had a little bit of a knee injury at the end of last year in Saudi. I've been able to manage it really, really well this year clearly. I've been playing a lot of matches, been able to feel like I'm moving around the court really well, play well.

Feel very healthy physically and mentally.

Q. A question about you deciding to play here in Stuttgart. If I'm not wrong, you said you also received very nice feedback from other players. You just won in Charleston. You're here. I want your opinion if you also thought about the importance of these two tournaments for the WTA Tour, because they're probably the most long tradition in terms of events held, how they are recognized.

JESSICA PEGULA: One of the nicer?

Q. Yes.

JESSICA PEGULA: It's cool to come here. That's the problem, I always play Charleston 'cause it's in the U.S. I've always played that tournament. I feel like this tournament is kind of the same as just the European version, as far as like it's been around for a very long time. It always has really good feedback. Players always really enjoy it. I feel like they always just have nothing but good things to say.

For Americans, it's tough to come here and play this early sometimes. But it just worked out with my schedule this year. I really wanted to play.

I've only been here a few days. But yeah, it's definitely one of the nicer tournaments on tour, for sure. I feel like everything is at a very high level. It's very convenient. We stay very close by. The courts are really nice. Center court is beautiful. Got to hit there the first time today.

I think there are some comparisons where they're probably the two nicest 500s for sure on tour. I'm glad I finally got to come here and experience it.

Q. I watched your practice with Jasmine. Very cool points. This idea of the possibility of having these practice sessions with top players, how can it help your preparation for the tournament? Something you want to try as much as possible?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I mean, it's always good practicing with the top players. I mean, those are the players you're probably going to take at the end of a tournament. At the same time, I like practicing with anybody. I don't really care (smiling). I think it all can really help.

You never know who's going to play well that week. We've seen you don't have to be a top player by ranking to do well. I think no matter what, any practice is a good practice. Of course, it's always nice to play with Jasmine and a top seed, especially on center court. The draw here is really, really tough.

I feel like it's only one round and then you're playing a seed basically. It's definitely a good start for me this week.

Q. You mentioned you missed most of the clay season last year. What are your goals and hopes moving into this European campaign this year, especially having in mind how good you have started the clay in Charleston?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I mean, I know the green clay is a little bit different with the red clay. At the same time I feel like here, Charleston plays pretty fast, and here is going to play fairly fast. Madrid with the altitude always plays kind of quick. Maybe Rome not as much.

I feel like having a good start to the clay season was important. Getting some confidence on a different surface right away is always nice, feeling like I didn't need a week or two to kind of adjust does a lot for my confidence.

Yeah, I mean, I didn't get to play this swing last year. I'm coming in I think excited, fresh. Don't have anything to defend. I think that's always a good feeling, when there's not a lot of pressure to defend points.

Yeah, I think just make the most of it, use the confidence that I've gained from the previous week in Charleston, all the things I've been working on going into the clay season, adding certain things to my game, seeing how it works out.

Excited to be here. I always play well in Madrid, as well. I don't know, I feel good. I'm just hoping I can do well and win some good matches and compete really hard.

Q. You are very successful in doubles with Coco. How does it look like today? Are you still playing?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I mean, Coco and I played so much for a couple years there. We did great. A lot of really amazing results and memories. At the same time doing well in the singles court, we obviously didn't want to play as much anymore. The schedule just gets really, really tough. I've barely played this year, probably won't play any of the Grand Slams this year.

This week I'm playing with Desirae Krawczyk, who is a really good friend of mine. Hopefully we can do well this week. I don't think I'm going to play any of the Grand Slams just because the scheduling, it gets really hard. I always feel like at the end of the day I'm going to have to pull out or something like that.

In Miami it was kind of unfortunate to play a long match, then have to play doubles. I wasn't feeling physically fit and had to retire in that match.

Yeah, I think the scheduling makes it hard, but I still love playing doubles when I have. Hopefully we can do well this week.

Q. A question about the last few years of your career. You were able to become one of the most consistent players of the tour, many titles. Was that something that surprised you, or do you feel more proud about yourself because you felt it was time?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, it's crazy. Like, I always believed in my game, but I was always scared. I never wanted to have a big result and not be able to have consistent results.

I remember the first time I made quarters of a slam, I went to Doha and I was in quallies. I was like, I don't want to be that player that makes quarterfinals and then has kind of a breakout at your slam, then loses in qualifying. It's really hard when you have to back up results week to week, to feel like a top player.

I surprise myself with how well I adjusted because honestly since then, I've been a top player. I did not think it was going to happen. I thought even after the first year of doing well, I thought I'd have like a sophomore slump a little bit, not put up results.

I've kind of surprised myself. I don't know. I guess I'm lucky in that aspect where I've been a top player for seems like a while now. Even being able to make the jump into the top five, make the jump going deeper in a slam just last year, winning 1000s.

You always think you can, but I never thought I'd be able to do it consistently. When I was younger, that wasn't my strength. How I've been able to do it, I really don't know. Maybe I'm pretty relaxed. Maybe it's my mindset. It just kind of happened naturally.

Very thankful that I've been able to be a top player for a few years now. Even though I might not have the biggest titles all the time, maybe compared to Aryna, Iga, someone like that, I feel like consistency is a strength that I have. Even though it's not winning a slam yet, I'm happy that I'm able to come in week after week and put up good results.

I think that is kind of a strength in itself in a different way. So I'm very proud of that, yeah.