“She’s super powerful and isn’t going to give you anything; she can take the racket out of your hand.” This was Jessica Pegula’s honest reaction after falling to Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final last year. Fast forward to this year, and under the glittering Miami stars, fate pitted them against each other once more! The result? Déjà vu. The Belarusian reigned supreme yet again. You see, the battle was fierce between the two, and the atmosphere was electric. Both Pegula and Sabalenka traded breaks three times in a gripping first set, each refusing to back down. But when it mattered most, the WTA top seed unleashed her signature power: A blistering 90 mph winner down the line, which was followed by a forehand error from Pegula on set point.
The American, however, struck back in the second set, outmaneuvering her rival with sharp angles and relentless baseline rallies. A stunning backhand winner gave Pegula an early break, igniting hopes of a comeback. But Sabalenka had other plans. She roared back, leveling immediately before breaking again. The three-time GS winner eventually sealed the deal with two more breaks, closing the match by 7-5, 6-2.
While Pegula may have lost against the Belarusian once again, but demonstrated true sportsmanship with her cheeky remark. What did she say? Well, post the match, he took to the podium and stated:
“Really don’t want to like you right now, but, you know, you’re the best player in the world for a reason. And, you know, you keep pushing everybody and challenging everybody to get better. And, just congrats! Two amazing couple of weeks here and, you know, a great tournament, Indian Wells, too, the last month. The tennis you’ve been able to play is amazing. So congrats.”
Similarly, Sabalenka also thanked the crowd. She stated: “Thank you, everyone, for supporting me every day – I enjoyed playing in front of you every day.” The tennis star struggled at the tournament for years, and she had previously never advanced beyond the quarterfinals.
And at the trophy ceremony, Sabalenka was quite apologetic. “Thank you that the rain stopped – it felt like Miami was crying that I won this tournament,” she shared. And while she won, it was Pegula who got the last laugh. How?
You see, Sabalenka was happy with her win and conducting her media duties. As she was speaking to ‘Tennis Channel’ about her victory, Pegula gatecrashed to steal Sabalenka’s drink (a margarita), which was dubbed as ‘Aryna’s Marg-Aryna’. The winner couldn’t do much as Pegula drank it right there! “That’s why I like this girl,” Sabalenka laughed. “She’s the best. Can I have another one? Can I please?”
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In the last couple of years, Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula have forged a compelling rivalry, clashing in three of the five most prestigious hard-court finals. Their battles at the 2024 US Open and Cincinnati Open saw Pegula push back, but the Belarusian’s sheer firepower ultimately proved too much to handle. Their latest showdown in Miami was no different: A testament to Sabalenka’s dominance and Pegula’s unwavering resolve.
Following the match, Pegula also expressed her gratitude to her supporters for their consistent backing in the last two weeks in Miami.
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Dejected Jessica Pegula opened up after another heartbreak in the Miami Open final
The WTA fourth seed Jessica Pegula has had a rollercoaster season, filled with highs and heartbreaks! She kicked off the year with a strong run at the Adelaide International, only to fall to Madison Keys in the final. Her Australian Open campaign ended earlier than expected with a third-round exit, followed by a QF loss in Qatar and an R16 setback in Dubai. While she bounced back with a title win at the ATX Open, inconsistency loomed as she suffered another R16 defeat at Indian Wells.
The Miami Open final was a crushing blow for Pegula as well, with Aryna Sabalenka once again halting her momentum in a final. Despite the disappointments, the 31-year-old remained graceful in defeat as always, choosing gratitude over frustration as she thanked her supporters for standing by her through the ups and downs.
“Thank you to my team over in the box, my family, my coach, my hitting partner, my physio, my trainer at home, my husband, my brother, and sister. I have a lot of friends and family here in South Florida, so it’s been awesome to play here and have everyone come watch me play. I really appreciate you guys getting me going the last couple of weeks. It was a long two weeks, but we had an amazing tournament so hopefully we can keep that going,” Pegula said post-match.
Now, with the Charleston Open on the horizon, do you see Pegula winning the trophy there? Share your thoughts below!
The post Jessica Pegula Drops a Cheeky Remark on Aryna Sabalenka Amid Miami Open Heartbreak: ‘Don’t Want to Like You Right Now’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.