The world No. 6 lost her maiden Grand Slam final to Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday night.
But she showed her class, meeting some notable young supporters after coming off the court.
Jessica Pegula didn’t let her US Open disappointment stop her from making her fans happy
Pegula had her first shot at a Grand Slam title on home soil in Flushing Meadows. She came back from a break down in both sets and even served to force a decider but couldn’t get the job done, losing 7-5 7-5.
The 30-year-old looked frustrated after the match, sitting at her bench with her head in her hand. During her runner-up speech, she addressed Sabalenka and joked: “Oh, I wish you would’ve at least let me get one set!”
But Pegula was still gracious in defeat, congratulating her opponent and taking pride in how she fought back. And it continued off the court, as the six-time title winner shared a heartwarming moment with Kevin Jonas’ young family.
The eldest Jonas brother, his wife Danielle, and their two children Alena and Valentina were in Arthur Ashe Stadium to watch Pegula take on Sabalenka. Afterwards, they came to meet Pegula and posed for a photo with the runner-up before she signed the kids’ giant tennis balls.
Pegula was a self-confessed fan of the Jonas Brothers growing up and had a meet-and-greet with them when she was younger. The American tennis star also went to one of their concerts at the end of last year and Kevin thanked her for coming.
A year later, you were just at the concert with us for the whole family. So thank you so much,” he said. “Thank you so much for coming to watch,” Pegula told him, before asking Alena and Valentina if they enjoyed playing tennis.
“Do you beat your dad yet?” she added, and Kevin confirmed that they got him every time. “Mummy wants to try,” Danielle said, getting into the tennis spirit. Before they parted ways, the Jonas Brothers singer told Pegula: “You played your heart out. It was so fun to watch. We had to come.”
