Jessica Pegula states what some people say which ‘really annoys’ her as she praises Madison Keys’ brave move

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Jessica Pegula certainly didn’t have her best Grand Slam at the Australian Open, but there was an American winner as Madison Keys came out on top.

Pegula has risen to fifth in the WTA rankings since Melbourne, where she fell in just the third round to Olga Danilovic.

Keys meanwhile has moved to a career-high of sixth place, with the American having just won her maiden Grand Slam title.

She went one better than her compatriot at the previous Grand Slam, with Pegula losing the 2024 US Open final to Aryna Sabalenka.

Keys beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final, with the champion also knocking out the likes of second seed Iga Swiatek and sixth seed Elena Rybakina.

Jessica Pegula annoyed by people unwilling to change as she praises Madison Keys

The two Americans meanwhile met in the Adelaide International final right before Melbourne, with Keys emerging victorious.

Speaking after the Australian Open success, Bjorn Fratangelo detailed Keys’ racket change, with Pegula now sharing her verdict on that bold move.

READ MORE: The three other American women with the best chance of emulating Madison Keys by winning a Grand Slam in 2025

“I think it takes a lot of courage to try something new,” she told WTA Insider. “Honestly, I get really annoyed when people say ‘But it’s working, why would you change?’

“But why wouldn’t you try? Take a risk and try something different that could maybe give you an extra 5-10 percent.

“With Madi, who we already know can hit the ball incredibly, if it can help her 5-10 percent, that’s the difference between her winning a Slam or losing in the quarter-finals.”

What is the head-to-head record between American duo Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys?

Pegula has since moved on to the Qatar Open, while Keys in contrast has recently withdrawn from Dubai due to a leg injury.

She hasn’t taken to the court since that stunning Australian Open success, but must certainly be considered a real threat for the other Grand Slam crowns this year.

READ MORE: Alex de Minaur issues hilarious social media response to Katie Boulter after Madison Keys and Belinda Bencic titles

And given the fantastic state of American women’s tennis in 2025, plenty of exciting battles are certain to take place between US nationals in major tournaments and elsewhere this season.

Pegula and Keys have only met three times so far on the WTA Tour, with the latter boasting a 2-1 head-to-head record.

They can also expect to bump into the likes of fellow top 10 players Coco Gauff and Emma Navarro over the coming months.

The duo both fell in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, losing to Paula Badosa and Swiatek respectively.