Tennis players are known to experience a range of emotions on a match court, and in order to play better, they need to release this built-up tension and emotion.
Some of the players, like World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, find fuel just by breaking their racket. Others like Andrey Rublev take it to the extreme levels of self-destructing by harming a body part. For WTA star Jessica Pegula, venting appears to be her way of coping with frustrations.
During a recent singles match at the United Cup, Pegula was extremely frustrated with her return game while playing Great Britain's Katie Boulter. The World No. 5 had never played Boulter before, but that didn't matter as she romped to take the first set 7-5.
Pegula then took a commanding 3-0 lead in the second set and looked to be cruising. But Boulter showed why she was the top-ranked British woman and turned the match on its head, winning the next two sets 6-4, 6-4 to give her country an advantage in the tie.
During a chaotic period in the third set, when Pegula was barely making any returns to the court, she became agitated. At the changeover, she was captured venting in anger and uttering expletives in the presence of her coach and team captain, David Witt.
"How many f***ing returns am I going to miss like this every f***ing time."
Unfortunately for Pegula, because it was a live broadcast, television camera operators recorded that moment, and tennis fans have since shared it on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The American came across the video and jokingly clarified why she was angry with herself. She was completely unaware she was on the mic.
"Just upset I was missing returns I didn’t know I was micd."
Even though Pegula and Taylor Fritz managed to win the tie by securing a gutsy win in mixed doubles, the USA's title defense came to an end in the group stage after losing to Australia on New Year's Day.
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