American Jessica Pegula dropped the first set of her Indian Wells second round match to Donna Vekic on Saturday night.
Pegula then rallied to win the following two sets, looking more like herself.
Tennis fans wondered why her match progressed this way, and they found out in her postmatch interview.
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What Jessica Pegula said
Pegula cited two reasons for her start, and both were related to her opponent Vekic whom she said is a fun person.
The first was Vekic’s diamond necklace. Pegula said the bling created a glare that threw her off her game.
Secondly, Pegula said Vekic’s tennis kit blended in with the background behind her.
Pegula’s 2026 season
Jokes aside, Jessica Pegula is off to an outstanding start in 2026. Her Dubai win has given her additional confidence.
Aftrer a long tenure with David Witt, she has improved her fitness, court coverage, and serve since hiring new coaches Mark Merklein and Mark Knowles in 2024.
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She has proven that she can make the final rounds of any tournament, is consistent, and only has one gap in her resume, winning a Grand Slam.
Jessica Pegula returns to Donna Vekic during her second-round win on Stadium 1 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Saturday, March 7, 2026.
Donna Vekic reacts during her second-round loss to Jessica Pegula on Stadium 1 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Saturday, March 7, 2026. Jessica Pegula returns to Donna Vekic during her second-round win on Stadium 1 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Saturday, March 7, 2026.
Fans would love to see Pegula, who recently turned 32, accomplish that feat before hanging up her racquet. She has alluded to sticking around for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if she is healthy. We hope she can do that, but whenever she retires, many believe she could be in tennis media given her fun personality and the success of The Players Box podcast which she cohosts with Madison Keys, Desirae Krawcyzk, and Jennifer Brady.
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The post Jessica Pegula shares reasons for her Indian Wells R2 slow start appeared first on The Big Lead.
