"Nothing to lose and full of confidence": Jessica Pegula cautious of Aussie rising star Maya Joint

Jessica Pegula previewed her Australian Open first-round match against Maya Joint, acknowledging the challenge of facing a player with "nothing to lose." The 18-year-old Australian rising star recently reached the semi-finals of the Hobart Open, making her mark on the WTA Tour.

The World No. 7 enters the tournament after a runner-up finish at the Adelaide International, where she lost to close friend Madison Keys. Pegula is aiming for a strong major performance after narrowly missing out on the US Open 2024 title. In Melbourne, she has reached the quarterfinals three times between 2021 and 2023.

“A good challenge”: Pegula embraces facing Australian wildcard 

Joint, currently the No. 2 Australian player and just shy of the top 100, is part of a new wave of homegrown talent alongside players like Emerson Jones, Taylah Preston, and Talia Gibson. Ranked No. 105 in the live rankings, she impressed early this season by making her first WTA 250 semi-final, defeating fourth seed Magda Linette (No. 38) and former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin (No. 81) before falling to eventual champion Elise Mertens (No. 24).

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“I remember watching her play against Madison [Keys] at the US Open," Pegula noted during a press conference. "I saw her result in Brisbane, and she played well in Hobart. She seems like a very good, young, talented player. Coming here as a wildcard with nothing to lose and a lot of confidence from last week."

Pegula acknowledged the challenges of facing an unfamiliar opponent under changing conditions. “It’s going to be a very tough match, especially after only a day to adjust, and the rain today kept me from hitting outside,” she added.

"I had a great week too, so I’m feeling good, but playing against someone confident with nothing to lose is always tough. I'll just try to take it as a good challenge,” Pegula concluded, embracing the challenge of facing a local player on home turf.

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