US OPEN

August 19, 2025

Jessica Pegula

Jack Draper

Press Conference

PEGULA-DRAPER/Medvedev-Andreeva

4-1, 4-1

(Stream started in progress.)

JACK DRAPER: I think it's an amazing thing to get to know someone from the WTA Tour. Don't know, play alongside another great player, it's been a lot of fun. Obviously played two great players today in Emma and Carlos, Daniil and Mirra. A lot of fun.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How many words had you spoken to each other before this weekend?

JACK DRAPER: Four.

JESSICA PEGULA: Tops, max. It's been like, Hi.

JACK DRAPER: We're both the same a little bit. I've seen you around before. She is always locked in, got her headphones in.

I'm the same. I don't think we like people. We don't talk to them (smiling). When we're around the tour, yeah, I just see her locked in on her headphones.

JESSICA PEGULA: That's one thing you said. I was like, How do you...

He's like, I've seen you just always with your headphones on.

I'm like, Yeah, because I don't want to talk to anybody (laughter).

JACK DRAPER: Unapproachable.

Q. What has it been like pairing up and having two decisive wins against top speeds? Caught this lightning in a bottle, in a way.

JESSICA PEGULA: I mean, I was supposed to play with Tommy. That got kind of rearranged. I feel like you're a way better doubles player than I thought. I don't know how much you played doubles. But he's, like, calling things, wants to be super aggressive in formations and stuff like that. That was great. I feel like, yeah, I wasn't expecting that. I felt like once we got that going, it seemed like it was going to be a better partnership than maybe I even thought.

I didn't really know what to expect. It's been, yeah, a lot of fun.

I like learning how people think, too, just the decisions that we make, kind of what's going on in his head, stuff like that.

JACK DRAPER: I'm not sure that's a good thing (smiling).

Q. Jack, what have the last few months been like? I imagine it must be very exciting to compete in any situation. And also, Jess, you were solid from the baseline. Do you take extra satisfaction from breaking down the male player?

JESSICA PEGULA: You go first. But yes, I do.

JACK DRAPER: It's been good. Obviously after Wimbledon I've been playing through an injury for a while. Got it looked at. Yeah, it showed that I had to take some time off the tour and not play obviously Toronto and Cincy, which was tough to take in some aspects.

But in other aspects, it's like the tennis tour now is so relentless with week after week after week. I didn't do a pre-season at the end of last year because I got injured then. So I haven't been able to get any work for my body at all.

That period, the last month or so, has been amazing for me to get a lot of physical training in, sort of start again with a lot of things.

Really, really pumped to play. Obviously, like I said, I haven't competed at all. That's the reason why I play tennis, the reason why I love tennis, is competing.

To have the opportunity to play the mixed doubles, I mean it's a bit of fun, exhibition, whatever, but I'm enjoying it because I'm able to actually get my eye in a little bit before the tournament starts. Yeah, embracing that.

JESSICA PEGULA: Yes, I already answered. Obviously it's fun, yeah. Love that part (smiling).

Q. You looked locked in on the court. Do you think you take it a little bit more serious than other pairs? What would it mean to each of you to win this thing?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, it would mean a lot. Obviously it is like a bit of an exhibition format. It's nice to play with someone.

JESSICA PEGULA: You shouldn't be saying that, but that's okay.

JACK DRAPER: What? What did I say?

JESSICA PEGULA: You guys know what I mean.

JACK DRAPER: Have a bit of fun with it. I don't know. I like winning. It's good to win, right?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah. It's not an exhibition. I know what you're saying.

JACK DRAPER: I'm hearing that a lot, it's a bit of an exhibition, a bit of fun, why am I so locked in.

It's a good opportunity to play, do well, get a lot of points in before next week, yeah. Like, I'm enjoying being locked in. I don't know why it's a crime to be locked in.

JESSICA PEGULA: No, it's fine (laughter). I'm just laughing at the 'exhibition' part.

Q. You're already like an old married couple.

JESSICA PEGULA: No, it was a great answer (smiling).

Q. Jess, this is like a different sort of way to spend the week before a Grand Slam. What does it feel like? You've done this a lot, so what has the experience been like for you?

JESSICA PEGULA: It feels a little bit different 'cause obviously you're playing and being competitive so quickly. At the same time, I mean, I think you snap back into it really fast.

It's always fun just to be on Ashe and playing in front of a full crowd. It's been awesome. He's coming back from injury. Taking that into perspective, playing at a high level is really cool. I don't think you can take that for granted. I've loved that aspect of it.

Anytime you can get out there and get extra reps and compete and win matches, I mean, that's why we play. To me, it doesn't really matter.

It feels a little weird just because you're trying to still maybe get a practice in, but also play the event. Your schedule's a little bit weird. I feel like it's early enough in the week where it doesn't feel like it's going to take away anything. We still have quite a few days once it's over before the singles start.

Q. Along those lines, it is longer now. You're competing now on Tuesday. If things go the way you want to, you'd be here almost three weeks competing. Is it a little different as far as how much you've got to be locked in now versus maybe what it was in the past?

JESSICA PEGULA: I mean, I played mixed before here. It's the same. Obviously it's shorter and it's faster. I mean, in mixed, it's the same thing, it's the same feeling. It's no-ad, 10-point tiebreaker. I think here, yeah, you want to start fast and take care of your service games. Anytime you get a chance to break early on is huge. I mean, that's what we've been doing really well I think the last few matches.

It doesn't feel that much different to me. I try and problem solve. I feel like that's part of tennis that makes it fun. Other than that, it feels pretty similar.

Q. This format seems to have gotten a lot of buzz from fans. Do you see this or think this could be a potential format that could go across the other Grand Slam tournaments?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, I think it's great, to be honest. If I wasn't playing the mixed here, I'd be training. I actually prefer sort of, like Jessica said, playing on a big court in front of people. It sort of gets your eye in quicker. I think it would be cool if all the slams did this. That's my opinion.

I don't know about yours.

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, one of the reasons I always played a lot of doubles, played doubles and singles, is because I really enjoyed it on the off days. I know it's maybe different for men playing three-out-of-five at a slam. I always enjoyed it. I'd rather compete and work on things in doubles. It's pretty similar with working on serve, return, first ball, stuff like that.

I always enjoyed that rather than sitting around and hitting the ball for 45 minutes, nitpicking what's wrong with me today (smiling). I'd rather play.

Yeah, I'm all for it. I think it's been a really fun experience so far.

Q. Seeing your face when he said the word 'exhibition', how do you define what this is? Some people debate what events count as exhibitions across the calendar. What makes this one not one?

JESSICA PEGULA: That's a good question. I don't know. I understand what he was saying, I was just kind of giving him shit.

Yeah, it has somewhat the feeling it's what of an XO. It's not called that. But I don't really know. What are the terms?

JACK DRAPER: Are there points for this?

JESSICA PEGULA: You think there are like mixed world rankings?

JACK DRAPER: Maybe. Is there?

JESSICA PEGULA: No. You don't get doubles points either.

Q. Both of you mentioned hardly knowing each other before this. For the average fan, what do you think maybe they don't understand about what goes into a mixed doubles partnership or doubles in general?

JESSICA PEGULA: What do you think?

JACK DRAPER: I don't know. Like, I feel we're pretty similar actually.

JESSICA PEGULA: Communicating maybe.

JACK DRAPER: Communication. We're pretty chilled out, aren't we, I suppose. I think we work well together 'cause it's like, yeah, you missed that one. Fine, we'll go again for the next one.

What are you laughing at?

JESSICA PEGULA: It's true. Communication, I would say.

JACK DRAPER: Is that the answer to the question? What was the question?

JESSICA PEGULA: Something fans don't know.

Q. There's been other teams of high-profile players that people thought would advance far that lost early. Things that maybe people don't quite understand about doubles.

JESSICA PEGULA: It's so fast, it's really tough. I think, like, I don't know, you have momentum swings.

JACK DRAPER: Yeah.

JESSICA PEGULA: You feel like when it's a big point and you don't break, even at the end of our match today, I missed a couple volleys on the serve. They hit one good shot, all of a sudden the momentum can really flip. I think Daniil would have been serving again. All of a sudden we're in a battle.

I think understanding the momentum shifts, then also picking a good spot to serve or a good formation or a good plan on those points is really important to kind of keep your momentum.

I feel like momentum is huge, especially in doubles, especially in this short of a format.

JACK DRAPER: It is different, as well. Players, I'm not sure how much doubles Carlos would have played, Emma, Daniil. I'm not sure. Probably haven't played too much. I've seen you on the doubles court a little bit. I didn't know that you were very successful on it. That obviously helps.

JESSICA PEGULA: It wasn't in the criteria when you asked to be paired?

JACK DRAPER: No. Everyone was pulling out on me. I was just taking anything at that point (laughter). But I got lucky. I got lucky, for sure.

No, I think if you obviously know your way around a doubles court a little bit, that definitely helps as well.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.