A New York State of Mind: Jessica Pegula Reconnects with the City Where Tennis Dreams Soared
Stepping back onto the bustling streets of New York City, tennis star Jessica Pegula found herself transported back to the heart-pounding intensity of the US Open. It had been nearly three months since she battled for her first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows, but the city seemed to hold onto the energy of those three weeks, instantly reigniting the memories.
"It’s so weird," Pegula reflected, ahead of her exhibition match against Emma Navarro at Madison Square Garden. "It feels like I was just here. My coach even said, ‘Oh God, we’re back.’ You can just feel the stress and chaos instantly return."
This return wasn’t just a physical one for the 30-year-old Pegula. The past few months have been a testament to her resilience and determination.
A series of injuries, including a neck issue in February and a rib injury in April, threatened to derail her season. Pegula made the difficult decision to prioritize recovery, patiently sitting out the European clay season– her longest break since the pandemic. “You don’t second-guess yourself, but you just get antsy,” she admitted about the time away from the court. “You want to be out there, seeing everyone else play and doing well. It feels like everyone’s kind of getting ahead of you.”
But that break, a period of forced reflection and healing, may have been exactly what Pegula needed.
She stormed back onto the scene, defending her title at the Canada Open in June and reaching the Cincinnati Open final in August. This triumphant return culminated in her electrifying run to the US Open final, where she faced off against Aryna Sabalenka.
"I just competed really well [this year] and I’m always very proud of competing," Pegula said. "The stretch that I was able to put together in the summer was something that I never really done before in my career at any level.”
This week, the city, once the stage for her Grand Slam dream, offered a different kind of platform. Pegula returned for the Garden Cup, these exhibition matches a chance to breathe after the intensity of the Open.
Even off the court, the city has embraced her.
While watching the Rangers take on the Devils at Madison Square Garden, Pegula was treated to a hero’s welcome.
Highlights of her semifinal victory against Karolina Muchova at the US Open, a match filled with grit and determination, lit up the screens during a stoppage in play, provoking a roar of approval from the crowd.
"“The New York crowds are just different,” said Pegula, daughter of Buffalo Bills and Sabres owner Terry Pegula. ”It was really cool to see that they were already still hyped about that moment when I made the finals and I thought that was really cool.
“So it’s definitely a lot of special memories for me.”
The Garden Cup also provided the stage for rising star Emma Navarro, who just weeks earlier had delivered a stunning upset by defeating defending US Open champion Coco Gauff in the fourth round. Like Pegula, the 23-year-old Navarro savors the chance to reconnect with the city that witnessed her breakthrough.
“It is [cool] to come back into the city and kind of remember the experience I had at the US Open,” Navarro shared. “Putting on a little bit of a show in a more relaxed atmosphere [at the Garden Cup], I think, is really exciting.”
For both players, New York City continues to hold a special place, a reminder of triumphs and challenges, of dreams realized and milestones within reach.
