Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula have formed a solid doubles team at the US Open.
The pair joined forces very late after the American’s original partner Tommy Paul could no longer compete.
The British number one was originally scheduled to partner Qinwen Zheng before she pulled out due to injury and her replacement Paula Badosa withdrew for the same reason.
Though Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula were not each other’s first choice for the tournament, they have flourished as a duo in New York so far.
Jessica Pegula was surprised by how Jack Draper took control of their doubles matches at the US Open
Draper and Pegula beat Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz in round one of the US Open mixed doubles event.
The Brit’s excellent serving and aggressive net play, coupled with Pegula’s doubles experience and consistency from the baseline, helped them secure a 4-2, 4-2 win.
In the quarter-finals it was more of the same as Draper and Pegula eased past Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva 4-1, 4-1 to reach the semifinals.
During her press conference on Tuesday, Pegula admitted she was surprised by Draper’s doubles ability and how he took control of their matches.
“I mean, I was supposed to play with Tommy. That got kind of rearranged. I feel like you’re a way better doubles player than I thought. I don’t know how much you played doubles,” Pegula said about Draper.
“But he’s, like, calling things, wants to be super aggressive in formations and stuff like that. That was great. I feel like, yeah, I wasn’t expecting that. I felt like once we got that going, it seemed like it was going to be a better partnership than maybe I even thought.
“I didn’t really know what to expect. It’s been, yeah, a lot of fun. I like learning how people think, too, just the decisions that we make, kind of what’s going on in his head, stuff like that.”
Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula say how well they knew each other before playing doubles at the US Open
Due to the revamped and condensed format of the US Open mixed doubles tournament, more high-profile singles players entered the event this year.
This has resulted in many players joining forces who have not previously played together. This is the case for Draper and Pegula, who admitted to not having spoken to each other much before they teamed up in New York.
When asked if they had spoken to each other before this past weekend, Draper said ‘four’ words, to which Pegula replied: “Tops, max. It’s been like, Hi.”
Draper continued: “We’re both the same a little bit. I’ve seen you around before. She is always locked in, got her headphones in.
“I’m the same. I don’t think we like people. We don’t talk to them (smiling). When we’re around the tour, yeah, I just see her locked in on her headphones.”
In agreement, Pegula said: “That’s one thing you said. I was like, How do you… and he’s like, I’ve seen you just always with your headphones on. I’m like, Yeah, because I don’t want to talk to anybody.”
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