"She's still No. 1 in the world & still going to compete really well & going to be tough to beat no matter what" - Jessica Pegula on Iga Swiatek & facing her in potential QF clash at US Open

Jessica Pegula has had an excellent season this year, with the American breaking into the top-10 of the WTA rankings earlier this year, reaching a WTA 1000 final in Madrid and the semifinals of the Canadian Open.

Seeded eighth at the 2022 US Open, the 28-year-old got past a tricky first-round opponent, Viktorija Golubic, in straight sets. Speaking at her post-match press conference, Pegula was asked to elaborate on her thoughts about a hypothetical final clash against World No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

Specifically, the reporter asked Pegula if Swiatek's dip in form and the US Open being contested on hardcourts would allow her to be more confident in her chances. The 28-year-old stated that while faster hardcourts suited her game better, Swiatek is still the World No. 1 and is a formidable opponent.

"She's not on like a 20-match winning streak. No, I think the faster courts maybe suit my game a little bit more. She's still No. 1 in the world and still going to compete really well and going to be tough to beat no matter what. I think I would just be happy to be in that situation again, because that means we would be meeting further down the line and I would like to think about that when the day comes," Jessica Pegula said.

When asked if the 2022 US Open was a big opportunity for her, Pegula stated that she viewed each tournament as a chance and that the New York Major presented a great opportunity for her to capitalize on.

"Yeah, of course. I always think every tournament as a chance. You never know what's going to happen every week, whether it be a breakthrough or even at a smaller event, sometimes the smaller breakthroughs can lead to a lot bigger ones. I think every week it's really important to take everything you can out of that week and move on to the next week," Pegula stated.

"It's always easier said than done, but of course this is another great opportunity for me. I feel like I'm coming in here with more experience than last time, maybe playing a little bit better than last time. I hope. Again, it's day by day. You see a lot of upsets first round, second round, so I'm just trying to make my way through and do the best I can from there," she added.

"I'm kind of a perfectionist so I feel my expectations of myself are always high" - Jessica Pegula

In the same press conference, Jessica Pegula spoke about the expectations she has set for herself.

Calling herself a perfectionist, the American said that while she always kept her expectations high, she recognized the importance of setting small goals and finding a balance between the two.

"I'm kind of a perfectionist so I feel my expectations of myself are always high. At the same time I think you have to set a lot of small goals," Jessica Pegula said.

"Yeah, it's tough. I always feel like I have very high expectations and I'm always like constantly, like, in between trying to enjoy myself and then how do I get better? I feel like a lot of top players are like that. It's a really hard balance to try to get. So balancing that is, it's hard, especially during a slam, but, yeah, I don't know. Small goals, I try to do the best I can, take it day by day. I think that helps," she added.

The 28-year-old will face the winner of Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round of the US Open. She has entered the doubles and mixed doubles events as well, partnering with Coco Gauff and Austin Krajicek, respectively.

Also Checkout:- US Open 2022 Results

Edited by Keshav Gopalan