US OPEN

September 4, 2024

Jessica Pegula

Press Conference

J. PEGULA/I. Swiatek

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: If you would, could you give us your thoughts on the win.

JESSICA PEGULA: Yes. I would like to say I'm so happy that you guys cannot ask me about making it to the semis. That was, like, oh, my gosh. It wasn't even a me thing. It was more people asking me. I'm really happy to be through to the semifinals.

I thought I played, yeah, a really clean match, served pretty well, returned well. I feel like I didn't really do anything that bad, and was able to kind of jump on her really early and I think frustrate her, and was able to keep my level even when she picked it up in the second set.

Yeah, I think I just played all-around really good tennis today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Given that the problem is ours and not yours, were you not nervous really when you were actually coming out to try to finish it, like, more nervous maybe than you would be in other rounds?

JESSICA PEGULA: You mean finishing the match?

Q. Getting to this new level in a Grand Slam. Was that not an issue at the time?

JESSICA PEGULA: It wasn't so much the round. It's just, like, winning a big match... There's a lot of other variables; beating her, No. 1 player in the world, Ashe, prime time, trying to make a semifinal, knowing that I'm up, knowing that I'm playing well, I'm giving myself a really good opportunity.

But, I mean, I've had some really good wins, I feel like, the last couple of weeks, and been playing some really good tennis. So at the same time, I still was pretty relaxed and felt like I was going to be able to get the job done.

Yeah, there's always going to be nerves closing out a match, for sure.

Q. We are also happy to come up with new questions. You've played Iga three sets enough and you know how quickly she can close a window of opportunity when she comes out and is not serving like that and you're attacking her return, is it something in your head where it's not just I have to keep my level, stay steady, but I have to take advantage, get a couple of breakpoints? How are you thinking about that?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I mean, even in the second she started serving -- she obviously didn't serve well at all the first set and I was able to take advantage of that really quickly. In the second set she started serving a lot better and playing better. She's No. 1 in the world, I was like, she's not just going to go away.

Even though I got broken, I knew, okay, I can still work on getting the break back or breaking her again. And I think that one game, that long game we had at for 4-3, I think, was, you know, I felt like she was starting to push me around the court a little bit, and even though I was winning some points with some good defensive points, some slices, and stuff like that, I still felt I needed to keep pressuring her and doing what I was doing in the beginning that would frustrate her and not let her get into that rhythm.

Like you said, when she starts to zone in on that, I feel she's probably one of the best front-runners in closing those windows of opportunity. She's probably one of the best, I think, that does that really well.

So being able to stay in that game, and then also, like I stepped in a couple of times and started moving in the court and realized my court positioning was getting a little bit too defensive and was able to sneak out that game. And then just, again, was trying to keep that mindset going into closing out the match and then obviously trying to get some free points on my serves and not give her a ton of second-serve looks.

Q. Why was it so hard for you to make semifinals all those years? I'm just kidding. (Laughter.)

A. I was actually going through them. I was, like, I lost to, half of them were at least girls that won the tournament.

Q. You don't have to answer the question. When you're playing someone like Iga, when you go in to play Muchova, how focused are you on what they are doing and what you need to do against them versus your game and how you want to play?

JESSICA PEGULA: Well, I think today I wanted to come out playing the way I wanted to play. I had an idea in my mind of what I learned from the last time I played her at Finals and play kind of within myself and then just see where she was at.

I could tell right away she was frustrated on the serve. Then I was, okay, I wanted to attack the serve pretty early but it depends on how she's serving. Am I going to get a lot of second-serve looks, am I not? So once I saw that that wasn't really working that well, I made it a point to really try and step in and try to keep doing that the entire time.

Then I think I had to make a few adjustments. She was kind of sitting on her forehand a lot and I had to change line a couple of times. You know, maybe I didn't have to at the beginning of the first set. So there's just like a couple little things.

But I think I started off playing well so I just tried to stay within myself and then adjust according to, like, how she was playing.

Q. Is there a common thread you would point to to explain this great run you've been on on hard courts? Is there something particular that you feel you've been doing really well? And when was the last time you felt this good and this strong on court match after match after match?

JESSICA PEGULA: I definitely think my movement is improved compared to, like, the beginning of this year. I remember in Australia I felt slow and not moving well. Not that I'm going to be, like, a super explosive mover like an Iga or Coco type of thing, but I just didn't feel like I was moving that well.

That's something I've been working on the last couple of months with the new coaches that I've hired. One of them is really big into the movement around the court, so we kind of focused on that. It's actually, it sounds weird, but it's not something I've really focused on that much throughout my career, just getting faster and stronger and all that stuff, but not as specific. So I think that really helped.

And then the serve, as well. I think I've been serving pretty good, to be honest, the last month, few months, really. It's starting to, like, teeter upwards more consistently. I feel like I'm not having as many downswings with it. If I do I feel like I kind of know what I need to focus on to get out of it.

I don't feel like my serve -- it's funny -- hasn't felt amazing this week, but I've done a good job of just kind of managing it with how it's feeling and depending on who I'm playing, just trying to serve smart. So I think those two things for sure.

Q. Can you remember the last time you felt as good about your game, stepping on the court each time, match after match?

JESSICA PEGULA: I mean, in Australia, when we won United Cup and we went into Australia, I still feel like that's the best I've ever played. I was just, like, destroying people. I was just seeing the ball so well.

But I don't know, Iga lost in the quarters there I think to Vika that year. I put in a good string of matches, I think I also beat Iga. And I think that's probably the last time, so maybe last year Australia? I don't know.

Q. On the topic of movement, can you talk about the specifics. When people say "movement" people think speed and court coverage. What exactly have you guys honed in on, whether it's specific footwork, cutting angles?

JESSICA PEGULA: I think it's getting in and out of the corners faster and being able to hit better shots from the corners instead of getting behind in the point. If I'm stretched, I've done a better job at either neutralizing the point or being able to kind of run out to my forehand and actually get a really good hit on it and not lose that positioning in the court.

I think same thing on my backhand, as well. Slicing a little bit better on the run and stuff like that. I think it's just, I'm able to, like I said, just keep my court positioning even though I might be off the court. You see someone like a Sinner is obviously crazy level how he's doing it, but I think I've started to do that a little bit better.

Q. You've talked about the time that you had to take off in the spring as being beneficial because it maybe made you feel fresher attacking this part of the season. When you were going through it, not being able to play after maybe not the most ideal start to the season, what were you going through mentally and how were you able to stay positive ahead of your comeback?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I definitely, after Australia, I was, like, not okay. I was, like, burnt out. I was tired. I got sick, like, two or three times, like, in that span. I think I was just really run down, and my immune system was kind of shot, whether it's from accumulation of stress over the last couple of years and traveling and all the stuff.

So I kind of just, like, readjusted, tried to take care of my body a little bit better, and kind of get myself back to feeling good. Then it kind of transitioned into, like, finding a new coach, working on new things, finding that balance with them. Then obviously I did actually started doing okay in Charleston and Miami, I had good results but then obviously got injured.

I think by the time I got injured, I think I was ready to go. I think once I kind of reset and kind of got back to normal, getting injured then kind of just made me more hungry. I was like, okay, this sucks, like, I want to be playing, like I'm ready. To be kind of set back like that I think helped me come back, you know, to Berlin super fresh and wanting to win these matches, and kind of fired up.

So I think, in a weird way, it all worked out and it helped. But, yeah, at the beginning of the year, I think I was just really run down, like, physically and mentally.

Q. Muchova, when asked about you, said you're on fire. How does it feel to be on fire? What are your thoughts about facing her?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I mean, I'm a big fan of hers. I think she's so good, so talented, so skilled as a tennis player, like, so complete. Doesn't have a ton of weaknesses. We played each other for the first time in Cincy, and I always laugh because she should be seeded but she never is. I always see in the draw when she draws somebody good first round, I'm like, oh, she's back, like, floating around in these draws, and I don't want a part of that (smiling).

So in Cincy, I finally had to play her first round. I was, like, damn it. But maybe it was a good thing in the end because now we get to play each other tomorrow, and hopefully it will be a good match.

But yeah, she can play really well. Obviously it doesn't seem to matter how many matches she's really gotten in, she seems to have good results no matter what.

It's cool to kind of see her back, because I think she's really great for the game and the way she plays is really fun.

She's tough, great athlete, like I said, doesn't have a lot of weaknesses, and has been deep in these slams before. So I'm sure, I feel like too, she's kind of just happy to be back playing, and I think when you play players like that, they can be really dangerous.

We had a tough match in Cincy, and I'll try to look back at that match at what I did well and what I need to do tomorrow night. I'm sure, you know, I think our level, both of our levels will probably be a little bit higher than that match. Yeah, we'll see how it goes.

Q. I'm from Poland. Congratulations. I'm not too upset, because I live in the United States. So I rooted for you, as well. (Laughter.) Question for you: You played her ten times. First time in 2019, four times in '22, four times last year.

JESSICA PEGULA: Wow, that's a lot.

Q. Would you rather play her more times a year or just once? You haven't seen her since Cancun. I was just wondering if that had anything to do with your dominant performance today.

JESSICA PEGULA: I mean, I think if I'm playing her a lot, it's probably good, because we're probably going deeper in events, I would say, just because we're both seeded and stuff. Obviously she's been No. 1, so usually I'm probably having a good week.

So I guess in that way it is nice to play her a lot. I feel like ten times is a lot, though. Yeah, I don't know, at the same time, though, she's No. 1 player in the world. I don't know if I want to play her that much. But I think deeper in the tournaments you're going to have to play somebody good, so obviously I don't mind having to play her. Obviously I prefer to play her on a hard court and not clay (smiling). Definitely don't think I'd want to see her at the French Open very early.

Yeah, it's weird. I feel like we have played quite a bit. I remember when we played in D.C. in 2019, when I won the tournament I played her, and I thought she was going to be really good when I played her then. I was, like, wow, this girl is going to be good really fast. Next thing you know, she's done all the stuff that she's done.

Yeah, I mean, I guess I don't know how to answer that question. I guess I would like to play her if it means I'm having to play her in late-round tournaments. You know, having the challenge of having to play the best player in the world is always an honor and I think something that you're going to have to do eventually. So why not do it more often, I guess.