In a recent interview, tennis star Jessica Pegula expressed sympathy for Madison Keys, whose participation in the Austin WTA 250 tournament was derailed due to a controversial WTA rule. Pegula, however, also acknowledged the rationale behind the rule.
For those not in the loop, Keys, the latest Australian Open champion, had her sights set on the Austin tournament. The initial entry list for the tournament, unveiled in January, featured Pegula as the solitary top-10 player, alongside the 14th ranked Keys.
What unfolded next was an unexpected turn of events. Keys’ sensational performance at Melbourne Park catapulted her to grand slam glory and a coveted spot in the top-10, placing her at No. 7. But this victory turned bittersweet when the WTA rule came into play, stating that only one top-10 player can participate in a WTA 250 tournament. This posed a conundrum for the organizers in Austin.
Ultimately, the world No. 4 Pegula remained in the contest, honoring her prior commitments. She voiced her thoughts on the WTA rule that caused this predicament for Keys. “It’s so hard to say because you can see both sides,” the top seed commented.
She explained that smaller tournaments occurring prior to big events like Indian Wells could potentially host multiple top-10 players. However, this scenario might not be advantageous for lower-ranked players striving to accumulate points and build momentum for larger tournaments.
Pegula also acknowledged the difficulty of the situation for Keys, who was unable to compete in Austin. “It’s always tough when something like that happens, like with Madi, and she’s not able to play,” she stated. Despite the setback, Pegula felt that this was an unusual circumstance and that Keys was likely not too disheartened given her recent Australian Open triumph. “She won the Australian Open, so I think she’s pretty happy,” she added.
During the same interview, Pegula revealed that Keys was eager to compete in Austin and had queried her about the possibility of withdrawing from the tournament. Despite the tumultuous events, Pegula focused on her game and managed to best Arantxa Rus and Nuria Parrizas Diaz, securing a spot in the Austin quarterfinal against Anna Blinkova.