From being 'killed' by Aryna Sabalenka to US Open quarter-finals - how an escape room helped Jessica Pegula overcome 'terrible' preparations
Updated 01/09/2025 at 10:58 GMT+1
Jessica Pegula said she was "playing terrible" coming into this year's US Open, and struggled in an early practice session with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. But Pegula has shown no sign of any struggles en route to the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows, clinching a clinical straight-sets victory over Ann Li on Sunday. She credited a trip to an escape room with friends for her mentality shift.
Highlights: Alcaraz storms through, Krejcikova digs deep to knock out Townsend
Video credit: SNTV
Jessica Pegula's preparations for the US Open were anything but ideal.
"I felt terrible coming into this tournament, honestly," the American No. 4 seed said on Sunday.
"I had a practice on Wednesday, and I literally - I think I hit with [Aryna] Sabalenka. She killed me. I was playing terrible.
"Then we went out for a second hour, and I stopped halfway through the hour and was like, I'm done; this isn't good. I don't know why I'm out here practising.
"It was hard, because that was the day after the mixed [doubles] finish, so we were switching to different balls, and I was a little frustrated. The day was really cold and windy. I was like, 'Yeah, I'm done for today.'
"So I walked off the court not very happy."
Despite her impressive rise up the WTA rankings, Pegula has suffered disappointing Grand Slam exits to unseeded opponents and not ventured beyond the fourth round at a major this year.
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Highlights: Djokovic and Sabalenka both make it through to quarter-finals
Video credit: SNTV
But the world No. 4 has seemingly found form at the right time. Her straight-sets victory over compatriot Ann Li - clinched inside 55 minutes - booked a spot in the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows, and she has yet to drop a set in front of her home crowd.
She credited an unconventional pre-tournament trip with her friends for the sharp upturn in form.
"[I] went and did an escape room with my friends and had two drinks and was like, 'I need to just chill and stop getting so frustrated and overthinking all these practices,'" said Pegula in a press conference on Sunday.
Pegula has yet to win a Grand Slam, and was denied her first major in the final last year in New York, as she was defeated by Sabalenka in straight sets.
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And there could well be a re-run of that match-up in the semi-finals this year, should Pegula find a way past Barbora Krejcikova - who stunned home favourite Taylor Townsend by saving eight match points to win on Sunday - and if Sabalenka ousts Marketa Vondrousova.
Many players have their vices to get away from the high-pressured nature of elite tennis. Sabalenka herself has previously spoken about making TikTok videos as a release.
For Pegula, escape rooms are a regular excursion: "Yeah, I do a lot of escape rooms," she added.
It had been a tough return home for Pegula as she suffered early exits in Washington and Cincinnati ahead of the US Open, while her trip to Montreal was equally fruitless. But she is now feeling "a lot more like myself on court".
"I haven't been feeling my best on court, so to be able to come back and make another quarter-final here is something I'm definitely proud of," she said.
"Of course, I want to go further and do more and win the tournament, but I feel like just on a personal goal level, I'm happy with the way I've been able to turn some of my tennis around the last few weeks.
"I feel like playing my way into this tournament and being able to play one of my better matches in a fourth round is great, a great thing to happen."
Pegula became the first home player to book her spot in the women's quarter-finals, with Coco Gauff to play Naomi Osaka on Monday, before Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova meets Beatriz Haddad Maia.
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