Jessica Pegula reveals she got a complex after her attitude was constantly criticized in her youth, but then decided to accept who she was and go with it.
When appearing on Caroline Garcia's tennis podcast, the 2024 US Open runner-up had a story to tell when addressing her personality on and off the court.
Pegula, who has never been the one to react much on the court, was the same even before turning pro. And that didn't sit well with her parents or coaches, who thought that she looked like she didn't care. At the time, the American thought about it - tried to force herself into changing it - but quickly realized that displaying bursts of emotions simply wasn't natural to her.
Also, Pegula noted that she found it funny that while some praised her for being a calm person, others had a big issue with that.
Pegula: I felt my whole teenage years I was just being told how to act and what to be
It's funny because when I was growing up, my parents or my coaches at the time never really liked my attitude. They'd say you look like you don't care. So then I kind of got this complex, like they were trying to get me to be fired up and I'd be like 'Okay, but I can't do that.' So I was trying to be something I wasn't and it just never worked," the 31-year-old said Caroline Garcia's Tennis Insider Club.
So it's funny, I get so many compliments, like ,'Oh you're so calm and I love your presence on the court.' Cause like I felt my whole teenage years, I was just being told how to act, what to be, what to do and I had no idea what my personality was. And then I was just like, 'You know what, I don't really care.' I'm not going to do fake first pumps, that's a complete waste of energy to me.
It is safe to say that Pegula could perfectly relate to Elena Rybakina, who was even criticized by John McEnroe in one instance and told that she should display more emotions on the court.
