US OPEN

September 4, 2025

Jessica Pegula

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/J. Pegula

4-6, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Great tournament. Great match. Great run. Congratulations. Questions.

Q. I know you're obviously disappointed, but I just wanted to see if you felt it was as high quality as I did. I thought it was such a tough match from both of you.

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I thought it was really high-level. I don't really know what else to say. I don't know how I didn't break back in the third.

I mean, I thought I played some really good points to win the first. She upped her level, started serving a lot better in the second. Then I felt like it was really even in the third. Like, there wasn't that much difference. I felt like we were both serving pretty well.

She came up with some ridiculous shots, like, on breakpoint. Like, I didn't feel like I did much wrong. So, yeah, it seemed like the level was really high, and we were pushing each other every single game.

Q. You serve, and then you are under constant pressure to hold right from the start, and then you end up serving incredibly in the third set. I think you lost, like, four points on serve. Yeah, just how those service games were you for you, dealing with that.

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, the first game, unfortunately, ended up being the difference, but after that I was holding really easily and I felt like just putting so much pressure on her serve every single time. I thought I served so much better than when I played her last time. I thought I served really well at the end of the first set too to take that set.

It maybe dipped a little bit in the second. I mean, like, she served a lot better in the second, as well. Yeah, I mean, I served much better I think than last time I played her. When you play her, you have to serve well, because she returns well and puts a lot of pressure on you. Not just with her returns, but the fact that she's a good server. So you know it's going to be difficult to break back.

But, again, I almost felt like I served better in the third. Even though I got broken the first game and I didn't break her, I felt like I was almost serving better. So that's just, you know, unfortunate.

Q. It was one round less this year than last year, but given how close the match was, do you think with some distance, you'll be able to come away feeling you're closer in this journey for a Grand Slam? Also, what flavor of lollipop do you have?

JESSICA PEGULA: Root beer, it's my favorite. Yeah, I mean, I always feel like I'm close. I'm one of the top players in the world. I always feel I can go out, and I can beat these girls. Even though I maybe don't have the massive weapon that some of them have or the flashiness that some of them have, I feel like I'm always right there every time I play them.

I felt like when I played her the last time. Even in Miami, like, we were trading breaks back and forth. You know, I never feel like I go out there and I'm getting blown off the court. Maybe the only time was when I played her specifically in Cincinnati, and she served like Serena. I was, like, it's too good, what am I supposed to do?

But I've felt good against the top players, and I know I didn't play really a seed until I got here, but I was playing good tennis. Considering where my summer started and how it was going, how it was trending, I'm happy to walk away with putting in the effort that I was able to put in tonight against, you know, the best player in the world right now.

Q. Just given all that, how well you played and those crazy service on those, because I think you won 15 points on her serve, and she won four on yours.

JESSICA PEGULA: That's tennis.

Q. Yeah, but do you come away and be like, there are things I have to specifically work at, or is it just one of those days?

JESSICA PEGULA: I felt like at the end there was maybe -- I think strategically I played her much better than I have played her the last few times. I feel like going into the next match, I kind of know what I need to do. Obviously executing it is a different story.

I think there were some things, very small things, I could have done different at the end, but it's, like, I mean, I'm nitpicking things. If she's going to come out and I was hitting some good returns and she's going to blast first-ball winners, literally some of them on the line, I don't know what I'm supposed to do about that.

It's too good. That's how she plays. She plays really fearless. That works for her. I don't think I play like that. I don't think some other players play like that.

But, yeah, it was too good from her today at some points.

Q. Obviously a lot of support. Mom there too. You mentioned that. Just wanted to ask about that.

JESSICA PEGULA: I don't know. Was she here today? I don't really know. She's been here the last couple of matches, so I'm assuming she was here today, which has been really nice, because she hasn't seen me play live at all. It was probably the first time since, like, a while ago, because she never liked to watch me play because she would get too nervous. It was really nice having my family and support here.

The crowd was insane, as always. Arthur Ashe, 7:00 p.m., there is no place better to play as an American. So that's something that was really fun. The atmosphere is incredible, like always.

Q. Is it true that your family came on a yacht, and they were anchored somewhere on Long Island?

JESSICA PEGULA: I think so. I don't really know where they have been staying. I think they were anchored somewhere, but I haven't been or seen them. I just see them after the matches. I'm not really sure what they have been doing on the other days.