Jessica Pegula set the record straight after getting eliminated from the US Open singles tournament on Monday.
The No. 3-ranked player lost in straight sets to fellow American and World No. 17 Madison Keys in the Round of 16. During her post-match press conference, Pegula responded directly to a journalist, refuting a tweet by The Tennis Podcast that she had left the court crying.
“Were you guys the ones that tweeted that I cried when I walked off the court?” she asked. “Someone said I walked off the court in tears. I most definitely was not crying.
“It just sounded really sad and I was like, ‘I definitely wasn’t crying. I just got waxed in like an hour. I gotta go play dubs [doubles] in an hour.’”
Jessica Pegula asks a journalist if he tweeted she was crying after loss to Madison Keys:“Were you guys the ones that tweeted that I cried when I walked off the court?”Silence.“I’m pretty sure it was you guys. I definitely wasn’t crying. I just got waxed in like an hour” 😂 pic.twitter.com/wSbjgcvgIf— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 5, 2023
Jessica Pegula asks a journalist if he tweeted she was crying after loss to Madison Keys:“Were you guys the ones that tweeted that I cried when I walked off the court?”Silence.“I’m pretty sure it was you guys. I definitely wasn’t crying. I just got waxed in like an hour” 😂 pic.twitter.com/wSbjgcvgIf
Later on Monday, The Tennis Podcast tweeted a clarification, saying it had erred in assuming Pegula was crying when she touched her eye.
DL: Jessica Pegula clarified to us just now that she was not crying as she left the court. I was on BBC commentary at the time, saw her touch her eye as she left and also thought she was wiping a tear away, but it was just something in her eye. Wanted to set that straight. https://t.co/JuxkdvRI1E— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) September 4, 2023
DL: Jessica Pegula clarified to us just now that she was not crying as she left the court. I was on BBC commentary at the time, saw her touch her eye as she left and also thought she was wiping a tear away, but it was just something in her eye. Wanted to set that straight. https://t.co/JuxkdvRI1E
Not longer after the loss to Keys, Pegula returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium with doubles partner Coco Gauff. The Americans defeated Marta Kostyuk and Elena-Gabriela Ruse in straight sets to advance to the women’s doubles quarterfinals.
Pegula will also play in the mixed doubles quarterfinal on Tuesday with partner Austin Krajicek as the top-ranked mixed doubles team.