Who said tennis wasn’t a dangerous sport? Talk to Jessica Pegula, who was surprised by her partner Coco Gauff on Tuesday at the National Bank Open in Montreal.
• Read also: National Bank Open: Coco Gauff admits to preferring Toronto to Montreal
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In their first doubles match on Quebec soil, Gauff served a powerful ball on a buttock from Pegula, who was back to him, close to the net, with confidence.
Immediately, Pegula turned to her 19-year-old teammate. As an apology, Gauff raised her racquet and the two players burst out laughing, as did the spectators present on the center court of the IGA stadium.
Watch it here in this video:
Eyes on the Olympics
If the two excellent singles players – Pegula climbed to third place and Gauff is seventh – play so many doubles matches, it is because they have a very specific objective in mind: they want to climb on the podium at the Games of Paris next summer.
“One of my biggest dreams is to win a gold medal,” Gauff said earlier this week. I don’t care in which competition. A gold medal is a gold medal. On the other hand, it is much better to win in singles in a Grand Slam.
Those trying to defend their Canadian title won last year in Toronto have still not been crowned in a major or in singles or doubles, but they reached the final together at Roland Garros last year. They are still far from the Williams sisters, long dominant, both solo and as a team, triumphing in particular fourteen times together in Grand Slams, in addition to being three times Olympic champions.
Impressed by fans
Speaking of the Olympics, Pegula revealed that he has the highest respect for amateur athletes who train to perform on the biggest stage every four years.
“I don’t understand how athletes wait so long,” she exclaimed to Montreal journalists. I don’t know how they deal with the increasing anxiety for four years, it’s crazy! And the ability to do well under such pressure is beyond me. It’s like we can only play a Grand Slam every four years. It would be very stressful, it’s crazy.”
Photo Martin Chevalier
Un Lapin Energizer
This season, Pegula has already played 90 matches and Cauff, 84. In comparison, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek focuses only on singles and has jumped 55 times on the court.
«[Coco] is young, full of energy, like the Energizer Bunny, described Pegula. She says: “I could play every day if I have to, three times a day, I don’t mind!”
“It’s true that there are not many players who play as much, but we have a lot of fun and we consider it an opportunity to improve in singles as well,” added the 29-year-old American. years.
Last week, the duo beaten in the semi-finals at Roland-Garros by Quebecer Leylah Annie Fernandez and American Taylor Townsend did not share the court in Washington. Gauff took the opportunity to lift the big trophy in singles and arrive in Montreal pumped up.
“I’m sure when I’m older I won’t have the same priorities,” Gauff admitted. Even now, with Jess, we’re playing less doubles than last year. We try to choose our tournaments well.
Fans of the little yellow ball are therefore lucky to be able to see them in action so often this week.
Jessica Pegula during her match against Yulia Putintseva, Wednesday, at the IGA stadium. Photo Martin Chevalier
Two singles wins
The two sidekicks made a successful entry into singles on Wednesday in Montreal.
Coco Gauff, sixth seed, easily defeated in two identical sets of 6-2 the Briton Katie Boulter, 72nd in the world and faller of the Canadian Rebecca Marino.
As for Jessica Pegula, seeded fourth, she needed to provide a little more effort to overcome Kazakh Yulia Putintseva, 61st, 6-4 and 6-4.
Yulia Putintseva lost patience with Jessica Pegula. Photo Martin Chevalier
In the third round, Gauff will face the winner of the duel between Czech Marketa Vondrousova, ninth seed and Wimbledon champion, and Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki, who is returning to action after three and a half absence after giving birth to two children.
For her part, Pegula will face the Italian Jasmine Paolini, 49th, who took advantage of the withdrawal of Madison Keys, injured in the gluteal muscles.
2023-08-10 05:50:46
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