OMNIUM BANQUE NATIONALE

August 1, 2025

Jessica Pegula

Press Conference

A. SEVASTOVA/J. Pegula

3-6, 6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Hard luck, Jessica. What made an Anastasija such a tricky opponent out there for you today?

JESSICA PEGULA: It was a weird match for me. I felt like I had total control, and then I just played a couple of terrible games for, like, three games.

Then that kind of totally flipped the momentum of the match, and I went from being up a set in 2-0 to being down very quickly. I just didn't feel like I maybe made her earn that at that point. I think I kind of gave that away.

Then when you let people back into a match, they can play really well. Then I feel like the third set she played really good, but yeah, I think I was more annoyed with my performance in the middle of that second set.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you describe the two games where you had -- one where you had four break opportunities, the other one you had three? What do you think happened in those two games?

JESSICA PEGULA: Was that in the beginning of the third or...

Q. Yeah, end of second and third I think.

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I mean, she played a couple of good points. I don't really remember all of them. I think a few she played a couple of good points. Maybe one I missed a couple of returns that I feel like I cannot miss in that moment.

I'm usually pretty good in those points, but I don't know, the last two matches it's felt like I maybe haven't been as, I don't know, consistent kind of in those times where I feel like I can put pressure on someone in a tough moment. Today I just maybe wish a couple of those at least making the return or hitting a good return and pressuring her to make her come up with an even better shot. Maybe things would have been differently, but I don't know.

Q. How do you move forward from this? US Open is not too far away. I know it hasn't been the best run of late.

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, it hasn't been great, to be honest. I don't really feel like I'm playing great tennis. At times I am, but I feel very up and down, kind of sloppy, which I don't like. It really bothers me. I'm kind of a perfectionist, so I don't like having to say that.

I feel like I've gone through phases in my career, a few tournaments, where I feel like that sometimes, and you have to figure out how to get out of it and not feel sorry for yourself or make excuses. I've got figure it out.

You have to do it in those moments in matches where you're in that moment where you have to compete and figure things out. I don't think I've been able to do it great the last couple of matches, so hopefully going into Cincy I think that's definitely going to be my main focus every single match is focusing on those big points and those big games because I do think I am playing some good tennis to get up in these matches, and there's times where I'm reeling off six, seven really good games, and then it kind of falls away.

So I've got to figure out how to kind of sustain that higher level against these good players.

Q. I guess did you feel confident coming into this tournament, or were you a bit unsure based on the previous couple of tournaments?

JESSICA PEGULA: No, I feel like I felt pretty confident knowing I like playing here. I've always had good results here. I've come into this tournament before where I haven't felt like I'm playing my best, and I've always been able to kind of somehow figure it out and turn it around.

I mean, it would have been a little difficult to do that three times in a row, but I was hopeful at least that I could win a few more rounds. It didn't happen, and I'm going to have to go back to the drawing board with my team and figure out a way where I can kind of feel like I can get my game back on track.

I wouldn't say I felt not confident. Did I win D.C. coming into here? No, but at the same time I've won tournaments and lost first round. Nothing in tennis makes sense sometimes. Sometimes it just doesn't matter (smiling).