Emma Raducanu
Jessica Pegula’s journey into professional tennis began with a significant advantage compared to most of her peers. In a sport as costly as elite tennis, her family’s wealth – her billionaire parents own several sports teams, including the NFL’s Buffalo Bills – provided her with unrestricted access to top-tier equipment and expertise. However, her career has come to represent something far beyond that initial head start.
By the time she was 22, Pegula was still hovering around the lower ranks of the sport, struggling to break into the top 150 and trying to find her footing on the ITF circuit. It wasn’t until a few weeks before turning 25, in February 2019, that she finally cracked the top 100. Even then, it seemed like a distant dream for her to ever reach the top echelons of the game. She faced numerous setbacks before she could begin to truly excel.
Today, Pegula has solidified her place as a seasoned top-10 player and one of the most dependable figures in the sport’s elite tier. Her success didn’t come from a sudden breakthrough – it was the result of consistent hard work, building confidence and resilience over time.
On Wednesday in Miami, Pegula will face Emma Raducanu, who is enjoying her best tournament outside of her dramatic 2021 US Open title run. Having already defeated one top-10 American, Emma Navarro, Raducanu now has the chance to test herself against one of the world’s best in her first-ever WTA 1000 quarter-final.
Although Raducanu remains an underdog, she should face the challenge with confidence. Their previous encounters have been tightly contested. Pegula won their only hard-court meeting at the 2022 Cincinnati Open in two tough sets, while Raducanu triumphed in three hard-fought sets at Eastbourne last summer, claiming her first top-10 victory.
The two players share certain similarities in their playing styles. Both have smooth, compact strokes on both sides, effortless two-handed backhands, and excellent timing, enabling them to take the ball early and cut down on their opponents’ reaction time. They also both excel at attacking their opponents with strong service returns. However, only one of them has managed to channel these skills into consistent success over a long period.
Pegula, in particular, thrives in fast conditions and is exceptional at neutralizing the power of her opponents. A key challenge for Raducanu will be striking the right balance between playing aggressively and disrupting Pegula’s rhythm by varying the speed and trajectory of her shots.
Raducanu, who has frustrated opponents with her backhand slice and defensive skills this week, will face an even tougher challenge in Pegula, who is a step above the competition she’s faced so far.
Thanks to recent improvements in her serve, forehand, and movement, as well as her three months of training with new fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura, Raducanu appears to be becoming a stronger, more resilient athlete. Nakamura has been by her side throughout the year, and the results are clear.
Lady luck has certainly played a role in Raducanu’s success, with her opponents, Amanda Anisimova and McCartney Kessler, each battling physical problems during their matches. For much of her career, Raducanu was the one struggling physically on court, but now she looks more prepared for whatever challenges come her way. She demonstrated this by recovering well from a grueling, hard-fought second-round win over Navarro. In her recent matches, she has capitalized on her opponents’ weaknesses, refusing to let them back into the contest.
As Raducanu faces Pegula, there are valuable lessons to be learned. A successful tennis career is a marathon, not a sprint, and each player’s path is unique. Some reach their potential early, while others have to take a longer, more winding journey.
Though the past few years have been tough for Raducanu, with victories often hard to come by, those who dedicate themselves to the grind will always have opportunities to turn things around. It’s also worth noting that Raducanu has played more often this year than ever before. Even when facing setbacks and tough losses, she has continued to show up and persevere. This week, at least, she is finally reaping the rewards of her persistence.
In the men’s tournament, Novak Djokovic – a six-time Miami champion – stormed into the quarter-finals on Tuesday after easily defeating Italy’s 15th seed, Lorenzo Musetti, 6-2, 6-2, on a rain-affected day. He will face 24th-seeded Sebastian Korda of the US in the next round on Thursday.
