Jessica Pegula clashes with box after racket complaint in US Open final
The US Open final was won by Aryna Sabalenka who beat Jessica Pegula in straight sets, and her opponent started complaining to her coaches during the match.
Jessica Pegula began arguing with her coaches during the US Open final after struggling for consistency with several rackets. The No.6 seed, who was eventually beaten by Aryna Sabalenka, lost the first set and was falling behind in the second before staging a brief comeback, but kept complaining about her equipment.
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The stakes were high for Pegula, who aged 30 had never won a Grand Slam or even featured in a major final but ended up losing. The American had the crowd supporting her at Arthur Ashe Stadium against the no.2 seed, but Pegula kept getting distracted after examining her rackets.
During the second set she turned to her box and was heard saying: "I’ve tried every racquet in my bag. They’re so bad. My ball is like dead. My ball is landing in the service box. It’s like baseball."
There was not much that her coaches Mark Merklein and Mark Knowles could do, with the latter replying: "We don’t have time for this." At that stage of the match Pegula had served four aces but double-faulted four times, but it was her second serve that was causing problems.
Pegula was averaging higher than Sabalenka on first serve percentage (66 percent) and first serve points won (66 percent), but was just 23 percent on her second serve points won. Sabalenka was averaging 40 percent on her second serve.
The American didn't face an easy route to the final, and beat world no.1 Iga Swiatek on her path to the final two. In the semifinal, the first of her Grand Slam career, she battled to beat Karolína Muchova who emerged as a dark horse for the tournament.
The win over Swiatek was major, but despite being the no.2 seed, Sabalenka has been the most in-form women's player at the US Open. Pegula knew what challenges Sabalenka would bring, and was respectful to her opponent ahead of the final.
"Playing Aryna is going to be really tough," Pegula said after beating Muchova. "She showed how tough she is [in the first semi] and why she’s probably the favorite to win this tournament.
"It’ll be a rematch of Cincinnati, so hopefully I can get some revenge out here. It’s kind of crazy that we’re playing each other again in the finals, but I think it just shows how much great hard court tennis we’ve been playing.
"She’s going to be tough to beat, but that’s what the finals are for, so I’m ready." Pegula faced Sabalenka in the final of the Cincinnati Masters ahead of the US Open, losing in straight sets.
