Jessica Pegula reacts to Canadian Open DJ gaffe and addresses viral beer second
Jessica Pegula has responded after the DJ on the Canadian Open accidentally played Cotton Eye Joe throughout her match. The American shocked world No 1 Iga Swiatek in three units to succeed in the ultimate. And she revealed that she nonetheless obtained feedback a couple of viral second from final yr’s US Open that noticed her drink a beer in one among her press conferences.
Pegula booked her spot within the ultimate of the Canadian Open with a 6-2 6-7(4) 6-4 victory over Swiatek. The world No 3 had reached the semi-final stage of the event for the third successive yr however this was the primary time she was in a position to go one higher.
She seemed to be in cruise management when serving for the second set however was dragged right into a tiebreak, the place she took the lead earlier than the highest seed bounced again. And with Swiatek serving at 3-4, Cotton Eye Joe abruptly began blaring out over the audio system, forcing the gamers to replay the purpose.
“I just thought it was funny,” the 29-year-old stated of the weird incident. “I’ve never had that happen, let alone with ‘Cotton-Eyed Joe.’ I was, like, ‘Is this really happening right now?’ Of all the songs. It was just, like, what is going on?”
But Pegula was additionally left annoyed by the gaffe as she did not win one other level within the tiebreak when she felt she had an opportunity within the rally that obtained interrupted. She continued: “Yeah, it was a bummer because I hit a really good lob, and she barely got it, and I had a really good play on the ball, and she was kind of out of position from the lob that I hit.
“So, I mean, I don’t know if I would have won the point. Maybe. I would have been up 5-2, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to win the tiebreaker. I think the wind started shifting, so I felt like I was really against the wind on that side, the side that that point happened on.”
Pegula additionally blamed her temporary dip within the change of the wind, as she additionally went on to lose the primary eight factors of the second set earlier than twice coming from a break all the way down to win. The victory marked her second over Swiatek after dropping all 5 of their first conferences.
The American additionally defeated the four-time Grand Slam champion on the United Cup to start out the 2023 season. Her final loss to Swiatek got here on the US Open 11 months in the past, after which Pegula got here to her press convention consuming a can of beer.
Asked whether or not she’d be having a beer this time round, Pegula stated the viral second was nonetheless incomes consideration nearly a yr later. “I don’t know. Maybe after the tournament, yeah. Maybe I’ll allow myself after the tournament to have a beer,” she responded.
Laughing, she added: “But, yeah, no, that was a funny moment. I get so many people that are, like, I loved when you drank the beer last year. I’m, like, ‘Okay.’ I’m glad everyone enjoyed it.”