MUBADALA DC OPEN

August 1, 2026

Jessica Pegula

Press Conference

J. PEGULA/D. Shnaider

7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Jess, congrats. You're through to the final. Just your thoughts on your win here today.

JESSICA PEGULA: Really happy to be through, yeah, to another final for the year. A good win today.

Another good week to start my hard-court season, so just lots of positives to take, but always happy to be in another final. When you get a chance to win a tournament, it's always a good week.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You seemed to have a slow start in the first set. How were you able to turn things around?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I mean, it was a bit slow. I felt like it was much more humid today. I felt like I wasn't moving up to the ball quite as well as I did the day before when it was a little hotter and faster and maybe a little bit more dry.

So I just feel like I had to adjust a bit to the conditions and her ball. Luckily, I was able to do that and come back in the first set. But, I mean, it was only one break, so I was confident that I just had to keep holding on to my serve.

I think once I finally held, I just finally got some momentum going, and was able to hang on to that pretty much the rest of the match.

Q. I know that after the match you were hitting some. Is that the norm? Do you typically do that after a match?

JESSICA PEGULA: Sometimes, when there's just a couple of things that I feel like I can work on or clean up. You know, I always ask my coach, you know, Do you think it's worth it or not? Sometimes is; sometimes it isn't.

Today he was, like, Yeah, let's go for 20, 30 minutes, whatever, and see if you can find a couple of things that you were maybe not feeling great in during the match, so that's what we did.

Q. Looking back, in 2019 I think it was your first title. I'm curious, I was looking at the draw and some of the players that you had to play. How much of a big breakthrough at the time was that tournament for you? I guess in hindsight, how do you look back on that tournament? Obviously you have a chance tomorrow to win here again.

JESSICA PEGULA: From when I first won?

Q. Yeah, in 2019.

JESSICA PEGULA: That week, I think I've said before, was just kind of the monkey off my back. Finally winning a pro title not just on the WTA Tour but even ITF level, challenger tour. It was my first professional singles title.

Finally getting through that and being able to play a really good match against a really good player at the time was Camila Giorgi, which I don't think I was expected to win that match, and to win I think pretty decisively, as well.

I remember playing a great final. I played really, really well and was able to handle my nerves and all these other emotions I had going on. So it was a great week for me.

It was when I first started working with David Witt, as well, and then we went on to have a really great five-year relationship and partnership. That was really what kick-started it.

I had only worked with him for maybe four days before that tournament that week. Sometimes that happens with new coaches and stuff like that. We see it happen, you know, fairly often, but I think it was a really nice kick to kick-start off our relationship.

We were able to do so much just building off of that first week, so I'm not sure if that week didn't happen, who knows where we would have ended up or where I would have ended up. It gave me so much confidence that I could win titles at this level and on tour.

To be back, I know now probably a tougher tournament now than it was back then, but just to be able to come back from 2019, now we're in 2026, and I'm still able to put myself in a position to win at this tournament again, not only this tournament again, but also a bigger tournament with a deeper draw, I would say, and better players.

Yeah, it's pretty cool I think when I can look at it from that perspective.

Q. After some struggles in your first match against Magdalena in the first set serving, your first-serve percentage has been over 60% in four of the six sets since. How have you been able to establish more consistency in your first serve, and how key has that been for you to make this run?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I think going after my spots, I think sometimes when I'm serving, I serve my best, at least lately, when I feel like I'm playing a game with it, like in my head. It's not just going up and hitting a serve. It's, okay, what serve doesn't she like, where do I feel like she's leaning, where do I feel like she's going?

I feel like just trusting that I have a lot of different serves now, and I can use that to my advantage. I think I did that really well today. I don't think necessarily I served that great, but I do think my second serve was good.

I think I was able to change up my second serve from the start of the match when she was attacking it a lot and kind of hit different spots and different speeds. I think just, again, mix it up and kind of trust it in the big moments has seemed to be what has helped me the most. Not just this week, but in the last, you know, few months in this year.

Yeah, I think I just like to play a game kind of in my head with my serve and just not be afraid to go after it. I think at the end of the day, you just have to trust it.

Q. Speaking of serving, Alex Eala has a serve that sometimes goes really slow, like some of the slowest speeds you'll ever see at this level, like in the 60s and 70s, but players don't seem to be able to really punish her for it that much. I'm curious, for you, how are you thinking about returning, and talk more about the matchup too, but particularly that? I've seen a few players in the last month or so not be able to take advantage of the shot that might seem like it would be attackable.

JESSICA PEGULA: I mean, I think her serve has gotten a little bit better since when I last played her. I know it's something she's working on, of course.

One, I think it helps that she's a lefty. I think lefties are definitely -- no offense to lefties, but they can get away with a little bit more, because we're just not used to seeing the ball come that direction as often, and I think you see that with a lot of different lefties on tour.

I mean, Mannarino, I feel like he just kind of like throws it in there. He can still hit his serve, but throws it in there. I'm not sure if a person that's right-handed would be able to get away with it that much. So I do think they can use that to their advantage.

I think with her, it stays so low. It's hard to attack. I think if you put her -- it would be interesting if she plays mixed doubles. I don't think guys are going to like returning her serve. There's no space to actually do anything with it. Sometimes you feel like you're just starting the point.

I remember in Miami, I just didn't know, should I go for it more, because then I feel like I'm possibly giving her free points off of that serve, or do I kind of just start the point? You really have to use your legs and kind of get up and trust it.

Yeah, that's why it can be so tricky. It stays very low, especially on more of a hard court, which I think she's probably better on a hard court or grass court where it's very hard to attack.

I mean, the ball is kind of below the net, and you're having to hit up on the ball. Any time you have to do that, it can be really tricky.

Q. I don't know how much you hear this while you're on court, but I'm interested to get your take. In the crowd during that match, for example, and I'm sure it's happened in other tournaments, there's a lot of coaching happening from the fans, a lot of specific, like, do this, do that, other than just "Go Jesse" or anything like that. Are you hearing any of that, or do you sort of, like, ears closed?

JESSICA PEGULA: Probably not as much as you are hearing. What do people say?

Q. I mean, everything.

JESSICA PEGULA: Really? That doesn't surprise me, but...

Q. Everything from like, "Hey, Jess," "Go Jesse," to like, "Hit it to her forehand," or like, "Better serving." I was very struck by how specific some of them got.

JESSICA PEGULA: Everyone is a coach from the sidelines, you know? I've been there.

But, yeah, I think I hear some stuff. Some stuff filters in. Usually I do hear, like, "Hit an ace" or "Hit to her forehand" or "Hit a serve" or "Make your first serve." I hear I feel a lot of stuff about the serve maybe more often. I mean, I don't know. I'm, like, Dude, I'm trying (laughing). I would love to be able to just make my first serve or hit an ace every single time.

So I think I just kind of hear it and filter it and kind of laugh, like, oh, yeah, great, we're on the same page. I don't think there's anything that's ever been, like, a bad advice, because it's usually something very obvious, like "Hit a winner" or hit this. Why aren't you, like, whatever? I'm, like, Yeah, I would love to do that, but you know, easier said than done (laughing).

Q. You often speak of being an American playing in America, you're the American No. 1, you're in the nation's capital. The crowd that awaits tomorrow with --

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I don't think I'm going to be the favorite. I don't know.

Q. What do you anticipate from that? I'm curious what you make of kind of the phenomenon that has developed with the following?

JESSICA PEGULA: It's crazy. There's people out there all waiting for her. I mean, I think it's awesome for the sport. I think it's really cool. I think we've seen that similar to Fonseca.

I think it's amazing she's able to draw these crowds, and it's not even like she's the No. 1 seed yet or like a top-5 player, and she's able to bring all these people in to watch her matches.

I've seen it at all the tournaments we've been at this year. She's usually on a bigger court, because they have to put her on a bigger court. Usually you hear the crowd from every single court that you're on around her.

I remember in Dubai I could hear it from my hotel room, because it's very close to the courts there. So I think it's awesome. Any way to get people into tennis.

I remember when we had her on our podcast, we had so many Filipino fans and the one girl, Des Krawczyk, is also half-Filipino, and they were, like, Oh, my God, Des is Filipino. Then she got all of these followers because they were Filipino fans.

I think it's really cool when you can outreach a group of people, especially that might not be super into tennis. I think it's really neat.

It will be tough. I remember in Miami. This was, like, before she was really, like, people knew her as much. I'm assuming tomorrow it's probably going to be worse. I don't know if there's more Filipino here compared to Miami, but Miami I was just, like, who are these people? What is going on?

I'm an American. I'm in Miami Open. We're in the semis. I live in South Florida. I was just, like, where are these people coming from? Like, I don't understand. I was just so confused.

Now obviously looking back, it's gotten even crazier, and it makes complete sense now. But I just remember being in that match and just being, like, where did all of these fans come from? I don't understand what's happening. Now it's, like, every week it seems to be like that.

It is what it is. I'll do my best. Hopefully I can still get some American fans behind me.

Q. What do you remember about beating Alex in Miami, and what are you going to take from that win perhaps to use tomorrow?

JESSICA PEGULA: Well, I think I'm a little bit -- I mean, now obviously she's played much more matches on tour. I think everyone has a little bit more of a grip of how she plays.

I think, for me, I had no idea how she played when I went in there to that match, knowing how she serves, so I think I'll just be a little bit more open-mind to do that.

It probably helps that I played a lefty today. Hopefully that helps. We'll see. I think just used to the serve a little bit, used to the spin being the opposite direction.

But, I mean, I've been watching her for the last, you know, ever since Miami. Obviously she's been doing really well. She's gotten a lot better, too, as a player and become more experienced. So she's been playing some really good tennis.

I think there's some things that I'm going to try and implement. I'm not sure it's going to work. I don't know if I can execute it, but I mean, there's definitely some things, and I do think I'm playing a little bit better than when I played her in Miami. But at the same time, I think she's playing better, too.

We'll see what happens. I'm not sure, but I think she's a great competitor, and I think she's a good player. Yeah, it's going to be very tough.

Q. Did you get to watch a couple of points maybe of her match with Naomi?

JESSICA PEGULA: I was watching. Not really. I saw maybe the first few points, but then I wasn't able to be by the TV.

Q. Finally, I guess you're ready for the Filipino crowd tomorrow. How are you going to lock in and just -- what's going to be your mindset?

JESSICA PEGULA: I don't know. I'm just going to do what I usually do, which is pretty much tune everybody out. Just try and enjoy the atmosphere, though.

You know, I do think maybe having her on the podcast, they'll will be a little bit nicer to me. Maybe I gained a little bit of Filipino love. So I'll try to use that to my advantage (smiling).

Q. I'm curious, from a tour architecture committee member, when there is a new phenomenon like Alex who pops up on the map in a country that hasn't really been at all part of the tennis landscape previously, how much do you think the tour can and should adjust their sales and sort of get these new wins and put bigger tournaments in the Philippines than might have been there otherwise? I'm curious from your tennis business mind how the WTA can make the most of this phenomenon?

JESSICA PEGULA: I mean, I don't know if we should go to the Philippines. I don't know what they would be able to do. She would be, like -- would they even be able to play the match? She'd have to be, like, helicoptered, like, dropped onto the court and lifted out, because it seems like she gets a big enough following everywhere else. I couldn't even imagine.

I think she did play there. The 125, right? Yeah. I think it's just, yeah, opening up a different pathway for possibly having a bigger event there or seeing if the 125 eventually grows to a bigger tournament.

I think you're always kind of looking at that. I think we kind of saw that with Qinwen being so big in China, like how many tennis fans came out of that and her winning the gold medal and the craziness she experiences during Beijing and Wuhan and all the other tournaments.

I think it's just one of those things that has to play out just because there's not any weeks for that to happen right now. So we'll just kind of have to kind of see what fits into the calendar as things, you know, hopefully get better or change throughout the next couple of years. I don't see it happening right away.

But, for instance, having the tournament in Greece was really cool. I know Maria Sakkari really pushed for that, because she knew people wanted to have an event there. Again, it was kind of in a tough week, because there's not a lot of weeks left for us to have tournaments.

I think it just depends on a lot of those factors, unfortunately, but I think it would be amazing, because like we've seen, she has a huge following everywhere. I think if the event got bigger, it would just do really good things for all the fans there and continue to grow the sport around the world.