"Stop talking about the age thing, oh my god": Jessica Pegula tired of hearing chatter about 14-year age gap with Iva Jovic ahead of today's clash

Sunday, 05 July 2026 at 11:18

Jessica Pegula hit out at constant chatter about her age gap with Iva Jovic ahead of their Last 16 meeting at Wimbledon with 14 years between the pairing.

The talented American teenager continues to garner attention for her incredible form. The 18-year-old has a 14 year gap with Pegula albeit they seem to get on with Jovic appearing on their podcast The Players Box.

But Pegula also has the edge albeit on different surfaces against the teenager in their head-to-head. Jovic saw off Jaqueline Cristian, Tatjana Maria and Ekaterina Alexandrova. While for Pegula who looks in ominous form, she saw off Sara Sorribes Tormo who is a bit of a problem player as well as Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

“Stop talking about the age thing. Oh, my God. I’m always motivated to beat the other Americans in a way that’s different. Not, like, I don’t like them or anything like that," said Pegula in her press conference.

“It’s more of just like I think we’re really proud of our country and playing for our country. There’s so many of us that there is always like this push-and-pull kind of battle in a fun way where you’re always pushing yourself against someone else from the same country.

Jovic's rise lauded

Jovic's rise has been a source of great debate and the 18-year-old was lauded by Pegula for her incredible play. Albeit given they haven't practiced on grass, she isn't sure what will be coming when they face off on Sunday.

“At the same time, it’s great to see how many young players we have, especially her. I think she’s solidified herself for sure as a top-20 player. I think she can definitely go higher than that.

“Seems like she’s just getting more and more confident, I feel like, as she plays more matches. She’s tough. Really good competitor. Does everything really well. I’m not surprised she’s pretty good on grass.”

Brilliant American teen Iva Jovic awaits for Pegula.

Pegula is also excited to test herself against a player who has zero fear or zero care in the world with a fearlessness that is unmatched as well as a poise that has been praised by many far beyond her years.

“She was in a tough match right before I came in here. It was going to be close. Yeah, I mean, we’ve had some close matches already on a couple different surfaces. Never played or practiced with her on grass, so that will be interesting.

“Excited again to challenge myself against someone who is much younger who is playing with nothing to lose and no fear. I know she’s going to come after me hard. I’ll use that as motivation and try to be ready for as much as I can.”

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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