Article by Sebastian Vasile – published Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 10:37 / Updated Wednesday, August 13, 2025 10:38
Jessica Pegula, no. 4 WTA, 31 years old, vehemently criticized the organization of the US Open tournament, which takes place between August 18 and September 7. The American will participate next week on the mixed double table, which has an innovative format, held a week before the tournament. Pegula is extremely dissatisfied with the way major changes were implemented.
Pegula criticized the changes implemented without consulting the players.
“We thought: OK, you became stubborn and changed the format without notifying anyone. You just did it,” said the 31-year-old player for the British publication, before the Cincinnati tournament. One of these changes is the new “Fast Four” score system, in which a set is decided after only four games won.
“It could have been much better if communication had been adequate.”
The Pegula will pair with the countrymen Tommy Paul at the next tournament, but emphasizes that she is not upset on the concept itself. “I think it will be a very fun event and that fans will really enjoy,” she says. “But it could have been much better if the communication had been adequate.”
And other top players have expressed their dissatisfaction. The holders of the title, Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani, previously accused the organizers of lack of respect for the players. The double champion Katerina Siniaková considered “eloquent” that she and her partner, both former world number one, do not even participate.
Pegula writes his own success story, despite family's wealth
Pegula, whose father, Terry, has an estimated fortune of over 6 billion euros and owns, among others, the NFL Buffalo Bills team and the Buffalo Sabres ice hockey team has grown in a sports family with huge financial resources. Despite this wealth, the 31-year-old player has made his own path to the peak of world tennis.
Simple, Pegula reached several times in the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam tournaments, won three WTA titles and reached the third place in the world ranking. Last year, he arrived in the US Open final, his best performance at a Grand Slam so far. At the double, he even reached the first position in the standings and won seven titles, of which more with the Coco Gauff's Function.
The new format attracts top players like Alcaraz and Djokovic
The mixed double tournament, with its renewed format, is played in the week preceding the main tournament at the US Open. Only sixteen pairs participate: eight by the combined ranking to simple and eight through wildcards. These Wildcards include big names such as Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz, as well as Novak Djokovic, who will pair with Olga Danilovic.
Despite all the critics, Pegula expects the public to embrace the show. “I think the fans will be excited. But if the players are upset because they can't participate or because I think everything is about money, then you have a problem,” she concluded.
