ROLAND GARROS

May 31, 2023

Jessica Pegula

Press Conference

J. PEGULA/C. Giorgi

6-2 [Ret.]

THE MODERATOR: Obviously success in singles and doubles today. How has the clay here at Roland Garros really suited your game today?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, it's always good to get two wins. I thought today was going to be a very long day but actually ended up being a quicker day than I was expecting, which is always good, especially if you're winning.

It's very windy out today, different conditions, but the sun is out and I feel like the clay is playing very nice. A little quicker when the sun is out as well but tricky conditions with the wind today, for sure.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Hey, Jessica, long day. Well, not that long, I guess, as you said. You've commented previously about, and expressed some frustration, about the sort of treatment of women as compared to the men. Tomorrow's day 5 of this tournament. Women haven't been scheduled in that night match. Is this something that you're paying attention to, thinking about? Does it resonate with you, or...

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I think it's tricky. I know last year we went over I think the scheduling. I did see that fact or whatever kind of circulating. I honestly haven't really checked into it. I'm sure it will come up in our council, especially this week, to go over the schedule, because I think we're always trying to work with the tournaments to making those things kind of aware.

But to be honest, I haven't really given it much thought. But yeah, that's something that hopefully we can get corrected and keep highlighting women's matches. There are so many great matchups, so the more we can get those in prime time slots is always better.

Q. There have been quite a lot of seeded women who already are gone. It's only day one of the second round. How much are you aware of that kind of thing in general at a Grand Slam tournament? Are you monitoring results? Are you only looking at who could be in your section? How much do you pay attention to that kind of thing?

JESSICA PEGULA: No, I definitely pay attention. I think you see the upsets or maybe, I don't know, tough matches that maybe I'm not so surprised that it happened, depending on who's in form, who's not, the matchups and stuff like that. Yeah, I saw a couple more today. I know from the first round there were some, as well.

I think it's not common, but I feel like at Roland Garros it's tricky with the clay when you get girls that really like the clay or that qualified and have a lot of confidence or Lucky Losers or whatever it is.

You can see, to me it feels like, see a lot more upsets. Yeah, I definitely follow not just my section. I like to follow the whole tournament.

Q. What you were mentioning about qualifying, is there at all in your mind, when you do play a qualifier, that idea of, I mean, in theory you're supposed to win, the ranking's obviously going to be much lower than yours, but they maybe have some semblance of momentum because you've maybe been practicing for that week before the tournament but they've been competing for that week?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I think if you ask any player, it's always tough playing a qualifier, especially first round, because that means they've already played matches with the conditions, with the balls, and you haven't really gotten a feel for the courts yet. So I think it's always very tricky playing a qualifier or a Lucky Loser who again has gotten matches.

It's hard coming out, even if you've been practicing and you've been hitting on the courts, it just doesn't feel the same as when you've had matches under your belt.

Yeah, no player, I don't think, really loves to play a hot qualifier first round.

Q. What can you say about your next opponent and what will be key in that match to advance?

JESSICA PEGULA: Do I play Mertens? Just making sure. I thought that's who I play.

Yeah, we haven't played in a little while. We played doubles quite a few times but not singles. She's really tricky I think. A really smart player. Kind of a counterpuncher, but is very strategic as well.

So I think it will be difficult. I don't know if we've ever played on clay before, but it will definitely be a match where, you know, I'm not going to be able to make a lot of errors, I'm not going to be able to -- can't really go for too much. I'm going to have to play smart, serve smart. She also competes very well.

I know that, yeah, going in, it's going to be a tough match and a tricky matchup for me.

Q. Tennis of course is filled with lots of rules, customs, traditions. A general question: If you were the commissioner in charge of the game or whatever, if you could change one thing in the game, what would you change?

JESSICA PEGULA: Like on court?

Q. On court, off, whatever you think you'd like to see changed in tennis.

JESSICA PEGULA: I guess maybe since we were talking about it this year is like trash talking, I think it would be fun if you could be more vocal to each other and it kind of was part of it and not maybe so much looked down upon (smiling).

Not like cursing at each other the whole time, but I don't know, something maybe more interaction with players. I always think that would be kind of fun. So I don't know what way it would be to facilitate that. But to me, that would be kind of something cool just to make it more entertaining and see more personality from the players.

Q. And the spontaneous French player Yannick Noah who has been celebrated here, he has long said the code of conduct in tennis was like way too much, that it's...

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah.

Q. Could you comment on that?

JESSICA PEGULA: Like it's pertaining to what I'm saying? Like being able to -- yeah, we always get punished for like showing any kind of negative emotion, but I feel like that's such a big part of it. I think, yeah, if there was less, I guess, if the code of conduct wasn't as strict I guess you would be free to kind of do more of what I was saying, kind of show your personality more, whether it's positive or negative (smiling).

But I think it would be more fun.

Q. And finally, can you indicate who is the most gifted trash talker that you...

JESSICA PEGULA: Oh, my gosh. We have talked about this. I don't remember who I said. I don't know.

Jen Brady was pretty good when she was playing. But you would just laugh at her and not take it too serious. I don't know. I have to -- I don't know. I don't remember who I said in Charleston.

THE MODERATOR: Tiafoe?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah. He's not a girl. He trash talks me all the time, actually.

Yeah, Frances. He just talks, like, constantly (smiling). I don't know. I'll have to think about that.

Q. Can you characterize your relationship with Coco? I mean, do you guys talk singles strategy and talk about other players and sort of like work together on that front? And then are you like big sister, or is this a sort of total equals relationship? Just curious how...

JESSICA PEGULA: I don't know. Today she was like, What side am I playing, boss? I'm like, Why me? Today I guess I was leading, because we were trying to decide which side to play.

So, no, I feel like we do a great job of even when we're playing doubles and when we're practicing, we love I think to talk strategy and kind of see what the other player is doing and kind of think out loud and kind of talk it out and problem-solve.

I think we do the same thing in singles, too. If we're practicing or I'm like, How was your match yesterday or she asks me and you talk about it, yeah, you know, once I started going here and this happened, you know, then I started playing better.

I think we all kind of like know how everyone plays, but I think her and I do, we like to like converse about problem-solving and strategy.

But as far as anything else, we don't really -- I'm not like really giving her advice or anything, but today I picked what side we were playing, so I guess that was my decision today (smiling).