“Escape room and a couple drinks": Jessica Pegula reveals how she reset before US Open run

Jessica Pegula didn’t need much time to brush aside the surprise run of Ann Li, becoming the first player in the women’s draw to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open. The world No. 4 once again looks rock-solid in Flushing Meadows, powering through 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour.

Pegula, the 2024 runner-up, is on a mission to go one better this year. With four straight-sets victories and only 17 games dropped across the tournament so far—an average of just 4.3 games conceded per match—she is showing the ruthless consistency that has made her a top-four fixture on the WTA Tour. Her calm precision, paired with relentless ball-striking, has left opponents with little room to breathe.

But the American admitted her preparation was far from perfect. “Honestly, I felt terrible coming into this tournament,” she confessed. “I had a practice with Sabalenka and she just killed me. I was playing awful. I even stopped halfway through practice and said, ‘I’m done.’” Instead of dwelling on frustration, Pegula decided to reset mentally: “I went and did an escape room with my friends, had a couple drinks, and told myself to just chill and stop overthinking.”

That lighter approach paid off. Pegula says she gradually found her rhythm during the early rounds, and by the time she faced Li, she was back to her best. “I’m really happy that today I felt a lot more like myself on court, which I think was the most important,” she said. The result not only sends her into another major quarterfinal, but also silences the repetitive questions about her struggles to move beyond the last eight. “It’s so nice you guys don’t have to ask me that anymore!” she laughed.

Pegula admitted this year has been the opposite of 2023, when she arrived in New York feeling sharp and full of momentum. This summer, however, she battled doubt, uneven results, and subpar practices. Yet, rather than spiral, she has embraced the grind of working her way into form: “After getting some good convincing wins, that’s always going to give me confidence. Playing one of my better matches in a fourth round is a really great thing to happen.”

Staying physically healthy has also been central to her consistency. Reflecting on her career, Pegula recalled how hip surgery years ago forced her to take a new approach. “Rehab sucks, and I was like, I cannot do this again. I have to do everything in my power to stay healthy or else I’ll never give myself a chance.” That meant reworking her fitness, nutrition, and professionalism. The payoff has been evident: a player once held back by injuries is now among the tour’s most dependable performers.

The Buffalo-born star also praised her friend Taylor Townsend, who has enjoyed a resurgence in both singles and doubles. “It’s so nice to see. She’s dangerous when she’s confident—big lefty serve, great at the net. She’s always done things her own way, and I commend her for sticking to that,” Pegula said. She noted that Townsend’s rise to world No. 1 in doubles was long expected, and now she is backing it up with strong singles runs.

Music, too, plays its part in Pegula’s preparation. Rather than pump-up anthems, she prefers calm, vibey tracks: “SZA, Kehlani—stuff like that keeps me mellow and chill before matches. I don’t need to get amped up. It actually zaps me if I try to show too much energy.”

Looking forward, Pegula could face either Townsend or Barbora Krejčíková. She knows Krejčíková poses a particularly tricky challenge. “She disguises her shots so well, she’s really crafty, changes direction, serves well. She can frustrate you because there aren’t a lot of patterns. Honestly, I wouldn’t bet anything on that match—it’s a coin flip.”

Quarterfinals are familiar territory for Pegula, but the question remains whether she can finally take the next step. For now, she’s simply relishing her best tennis of the summer arriving at the right time. “Another second week of a Slam, another quarterfinal—it’s great. Of course I want to go further and win the tournament, but I’m proud of the way I’ve been able to turn things around.”