Female US Open star's awkward five-word comment to Adidas about her 'wetsuit' outfit
Jessica Pegula addressed her decision to ditch Adidas's daring new tennis outfit, which has been compared to a wetsuit, at the US Open.
Jessica Pegula issued an awkward five-word response as she addressed her decision to ditch a new Adidas outfit at the US Open. The sixth seed kept her ambitions of a maiden Grand Slam alive by easing past Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3 6-3 to reach the last 16 in New York.
But as well as her impressive victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Pegula was also quizzed about her attire. Having started the tournament wearing Adidas’s daring new women’s tennis outfit, which has full-length sleeves and holes around the shoulders, the 30-year-old opted to switch to her usual dress.
Some fans have compared the outfit, which retails at £170, to a wetsuit. Asked why she hadn’t worn it, Pegula, an Adidas-backed athlete, admitted she had reservations about the outfit from when she first saw it, describing her initial reaction as, “Oh, tough, I don’t know”.
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“Yeah, I wasn't the biggest fan, to be honest, when I first wore it like earlier this year at Indian Wells," she said. "They showed it to me, and I was like, ‘Oh, tough, I don't know’.”
Pegula's stance on the outfit did soften even though she decided to go back to her normal dress mid-tournament. She added: “It grew on me a lot. So I thought it was really cool.
“I think it looked really good on. I think it looks good on all the players. Obviously, they were going for more of a statement with that.
“I know that I think the black was supposed to help. It's super lightweight, first of all, so it wasn't very heavy at all. I think they did colour-blocking to kind of help with the heat.
“So I know that it somehow helped with air flow and heat based on the black and white on the sleeves and the shoulders. It was nice I guess as well I think to block the sun off your shoulders.
“People were like, ‘Wouldn't that be more hot?’ It was actually have super light and super breathable, so I thought it was pretty cool.”
Meanwhile, Pegula was satisfied, although not overjoyed, with her performance. She said: “I just played solid. I didn't do anything crazy. I didn't do anything bad or that amazing. I think I was just very consistent.
"Even when she got back into that second set, I was able to find some energy, get a hold and close it out pretty quick, so I'm proud of that." Pegula will face Diana Shnaider next in the round of 16, with her match set to be scheduled for Monday.
