Pegula sips espresso -- not tequila! -- in US Open press conference
Jessica Pegula has long been one of the most entertaining and insightful interviews on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, mixing sharp insight and intellect with candor and dry humor.
That humor often comes across most in post-match press conferences after disappointing defeats. We saw it in 2022, when she came to the media room with a Heineken after losing to Iga Swiatek in the US Open quarterfinals.
Then at last year's US Open, Pegula posted on X that the tournament's signature cocktail was helping her cope with her crushing semifinal loss to Aryna Sabalenka.
When you lost 4 points on serve in the 3rd but you lost the match pic.twitter.com/KYHqfNBeJR
— Jessie Pegula (@JPegula) September 5, 2025
Pegula had another drink in hand during her press conference on Thursday, following another loss to Sabalenka, but this one wasn't quite as strong.
"I'm always at a US Open press conference trying to pee for doping," she explained when asked what was in her plastic Lavazza cup. "But it's just espresso. Decaf espresso."
When the reporter said he thought it might be tequila, the World No. 3 didn't hate the idea.
"I wish," she said with a smile. "Nobody offered to bring me any. It's coffee this year. But yeah, it's just another night. Another loss and another ... trying to go to the bathroom."
Though Pegula came out on the losing end against the top seed on Thursday, it was another strong Hard-Court Swing the American, who reached finals in Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati before reaching the final four in New York. Her 50 wins currently lead the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz.
As for her 7-5, 6-2 loss to Sabalenka, all Pegula could do was tip her cap to the two-time defending US Open champion.
"I think that's definitely -- you can ask her -- probably the best match she's played this year," she said. "I mean, I thought her level was insanely high. ...I don't know who pissed her off today. Hopefully it wasn't me, but it might have been. I don't know. She played insane. She played a super high level."
Pegula is next scheduled to play the WTA 500 Singapore Open, which begins on Sept. 21.
