"I'm not like Iga or Coco" - Jessica Pegula on what sets her apart on tour
Jessica Pegula has spoken about how her game differs from fellow WTA colleagues at the pre-tournament media day in Doha, ahead of the Qatar Open.
Pegula spoke with particular regard about how her own level of athleticism is different to fitness powerhouses such as Iga Swiatek and Pegula's good friend Coco Gauff.
I think athletic-wise I'm not like Iga or Coco where I'm sliding all over the court, but I think my hand-eye coordination is also very, very good, so I'm able to time the ball well. I think it's just how I kind of always hit the ball and struck the ball, and it just became more my game style as I got older.
Obviously playing that way I have to be careful with my margin and what shots I go for. So I think as I got older I developed it a lot more into playing smarter, being more efficient, trying to take the ball earlier, and then try to be aggressive as well but keep my margins in.
The Buffalo-born New York state native also described how her own game style can trouble other players.
I think when I'm playing hard and deep that it really bothers a lot of girls, because the ball stays pretty low and kind of skids through the court. I think it was just how I grew up playing and striking the ball and naturally just how I like to play.
I would say I'm kind of a little bit of a late bloomer, but I think nowadays we are seeing players play much later into their careers, so hopefully that will change. Maybe it won't be so much 'late bloomer,' maybe it's just the game everyone is kind of growing at a different pace.
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