BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Jessica Pegula won her first-round match at the U.S. Open in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4 against Mayar Sherif from Egypt on Sunday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City.
Pegula, the 31-year-old Buffalonian ranked No. 4 in the world and a finalist last year at Flushing Meadows, won her first set in 21 minutes Sunday before rallying to win five straight points in the second set after falling behind 4-1.
Set to face Anna Blinkova from Russia on Wednesday in the second round, Pegula competed in mixed doubles at the U.S. Open last week, and was displeased with the early start of singles matches in this year’s tournament.
“I’m not really a fan of it. I don’t know why they had to make it even longer. Well, I know why they did it — they get to sell tickets for an extra day,” Pegula said. “I’m not really for it. I don’t think a lot of the players were for it, especially those who play the week before a Slam. It makes everything a little longer and a little harder. I don’t think a lot of players want that.”
Pegula cited this move by the U.S. Tennis Association — which followed the French Tennis Federation’s decision to begin on Sunday in 2006, and the Australian Open’s move to do the same in 2024 — as an example of her sport’s repeated failure to ask for, or follow up on, athletes’ input. Wimbledon is now the lone major that starts on Monday.
“A lot of times, they ask for player feedback and when we do (respond), they don’t listen to anything we say,” said Pegula, one of 20 players who signed a letter in March sent to the people who run the Grand Slam events to ask for better communication, more contributions to player welfare and a higher share of revenue. “The way they go about announcing these things, sometimes players aren’t aware.”
This also comes at a time that players have complained about the recent shift to longer non-Slam tournaments that last more than a week.
Those in charge of tennis point to higher prize money that comes from those extended tournaments — and changes such as the extra day have coincided with increases in prize money, which is up to a record $85 million, including $5 million to each singles champion, at the U.S. Open.
USTA spokesman Brendan McIntyre said adding a 15th day of singles not only can “provide more fans the opportunity to see main draw singles competition in person, but also gives fans around the globe the opportunity to watch … (on television) on a weekend day and night.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
