"Last year kind of messed me up": Jessica Pegula hopes to adapt better to round robin format this year at WTA Finals
WTA
Jessica
Pegula stated that she hopes for a better outcome at the 2023 WTA Finals
compared to last year when she lost all her matches.
The
American tennis player qualified for her first WTA Finals in 2022 but didn't
exit the tournament the way she would have liked, losing all three of her
singles matches and all three of her doubles matches, where she partnered with
Coco Gauff.
This year,
the world No. 5 will have another opportunity in both formats and spoke to the
press, recalling her experience from last year:
“It’s
definitely a lot different. I talked about it before, like last year kind of
messed me up,”
“Usually
when you lose, you want to get out of there, fly to the next week, get away
from the site and the courts because you’re upset that you lost, right? You’re
like, I just want to get out of here. Last year was weird. You lose, you’re
still at the same place and you have to play again,” Pegula said
“Even
though you have another chance, it’s hard to brush away, a loss because every
year the format we play is you lose, and you go to the next city or you go
home. I think mentally it was a lot different. I didn’t expect to not struggle
with it, but I didn’t expect to think it would be difficult. Last year I felt
like it was actually very difficult to have to lose a match and then come back
and play the next day or two days later,” she added.
Jessica
Pegula will be in a group with Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Maria
Sakkari, whom she will have to face to secure one of the two spots to advance
to the semifinals. The American tennis player talked about the differences in
the format compared to tournaments throughout the rest of the year:
“Hopefully
I can mentally prepare better this time. It’s great that you still have a
chance, especially with the tough competition we have here. All of us are the
girls that have been playing the best all year, so it makes it really hard.
Some days just go better than others,
“It’s just
a different format, but I think it makes it exciting to see the different
matchups. I think girls playing differently against different players, some
play better, some player worse. It will be nice to see that you can see those
matchups more often before someone being eliminated.”
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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