"Shelby and I go way back": Jessica Pegula unhappy to face Shelby Rogers in the first round of US Open

America’s tennis star Jessica Pegula does not like the fact that she will face Shelby Rogers in the opening round of the US Open 2024. The fourth and final Grand Slam of the year will begin on August 26, and players from all over the world will participate to showcase their talent and secure the ultimate prize.

Pegula is set to take part in the mega-event, and she will face Rogers in the opening round of the competition. Talking about it, Pegula stated that she is not looking to face someone like Rogers in the opening round because both players have known each other for a very long time.

“It sucks having to play her,” she said. “She kind of told me before, and I didn’t know if she was going to announce it or not. Then I saw, obviously, I think this morning she announced it. I saw her this morning, too. It’s crazy to me that, like, obviously I know she had a lot of injuries, but to see people, like, my age retiring, her, Danielle, it’s sad. Yeah, Shelby and I go way back. We were battling at Georgia, like, Southern sectional 16-and-unders and now we’re playing in the US Open. Obviously, she’s had amazing results here too and has been a top player.”

It will be the only second meeting between the two at the highest level. In the previous meeting between the two, which was in the Oracle Challengers Series back in 2020, it was Pegula who came out on top in straight sets with a score of 7-6, 6-2. The Buffalo-born star will start the competition as one of the favourites to go all the way in New York. Her best outing at the US Open was in 2022 when she was knocked out after losing in the quarterfinal to the current world number one Poland’s Iga Swiatek in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 7-6.