While it isn’t rare in tennis to play against a compatriot, most players agree that sharing nationality with an opponent adds meaning to a match. There’s often a level of intimacy that can stem from having grown up together within a national federation.
For Wimbledon No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula, U.S. tennis is so well represented at major tournaments these days that facing another American is motivating because it activates her competitive side.
💬 “I’m always motivated to beat the other Americans in a way that’s different. … There is always like this push-and-pull kind of battle in a fun way.”
Pegula should be feeling extra fiery for her next couple of matches. She faces American Iva Jović in the fourth round, a fast-rising 18-year-old who is a natural mover on grass and is self-assured. Says Jović:
💬 “Early in your career, you’re probably going to lose your first couple meetings against players who are already at the top, until you find your groove. … I feel like I’m constantly changing as a player.”
Pegula’s changing, too, growing more comfortable on Wimbledon’s grass after a first-round exit last year and a second-round exit in 2024. She’s well aware of the dangers of facing a fellow American — a younger, hungry American playing freely with little to lose, at that.
“I know she’s going to come after me hard,” Pegula said. “I’ll use that as motivation and try to be ready for as much as I can.”
