MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Jessica Pegula says she is happy to keep flying under the radar at the Australian Open after the American breezed into the second round on Monday with a 6-0 6-1 win over Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian.
World number three Pegula, 28, attracted more media attention earlier this month due to her parents’ ownership of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills following Damar Hamlin’s on-field collapse as a result of a cardiac arrest.
But usually it is the likes of three-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek or world number two Ons Jabeur from Tunisia hogging the headlines in women’s tennis.
And that suits Pegula just fine.
“I think girls like Iga or Ons, I feel like maybe their stories are a little bit more, I don’t know, grab more attention,” said Pegula, the top ranked U.S. woman.
“Ons, for what she’s doing for the region she comes from in Africa and all that stuff, and then obviously she made two slam finals as well.
“Iga obviously being younger and bursting onto the scene and winning crazy match win streaks. I guess those maybe grab more attention probably than me.”
Pegula’s lower profile comes despite being a four-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist, which includes a run to the last eight of the 2022 Australian Open when she was eliminated in straight sets by eventual champion Ash Barty.
“I definitely think I have just kind of been a little bit under the radar, but I don’t mind that,” she said.
“I think that fits me and my personality as well. I don’t think I do too many things to really grab a ton of attention.”
(Reporting by Michael Church in Hong Kong, Editing by Peter Rutherford)
