From starting her career at the lowest levels of professional tennis to competing on the world’s biggest stages, Jessica’s Pegula’s journey into the Top 15 is a lesson in perseverance and belief. She joins TopCourt to share her journey and empower you to take your game to the next level just like she did.
Here’s what you can learn from Pegula’s TopCourt class:
Technique: In her TopCourt class, Pegula shares the secrets behind two of her biggest weapons. The backhand slice is one of the most versatile strokes in her game and she shows you the fundamentals you need to use your slice on offense, defense and to mix up the point. Jessica also shows you the tricks to surprising your opponent with a well-timed and executed drop shot.
Drills: Pegula teaches you three of her favorite tennis drills that focus on shot variety, attacking second serves and finishing points off at the net. In her first drill “Slice to Slice,” she shows you a way to work on your slice in a repetitive live ball situation to get you more comfortable utilizing your slice in a point. In her second drill “2nd Serve Attack,” Pegula shows you how to be aggressive by attacking your opponent’s second serve by coming in behind it and putting pressure on your opponent. In her final drill “Approach Volley Game,” she shows you a great pattern you can use in your next practice to give you the confidence to move forward and finish points with a volley.
Stories: At a young age, Pegula developed a strong work ethic and fundamentals that laid a foundation for her to build upon throughout her career. In a series of nine episodes, Pegula opens up about her journey in the professional tennis world and how her success didn’t come immediately. Along with persistence in training, she shares how an accumulation of time spent on the “little things” added up and became the difference-maker in her performance and breaking through into the pros.
Whether you’re a recreational player looking for an edge against your friends on the court, or a competitive junior trying to get to the next level, Pegula has advice for you. She insists on how imperative it is to know the strengths and weaknesses of your game and shares advice to all players on the benefit of knowing your game style and how you can use it to your advantage. You can learn many more things from Pegula, including attacking adversity, breathing through pivotal life moments, letting go of the past and moving forward and playing the long game.
