Over the last 18 months, a few points played between Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka may have changed the court of tennis history forever
It's not an exaggeration when one considers that Sabalenka, a future Hall of Famer even at this stage of her career, has beaten Pegula on the way to a pair of Grand Slam titles, and two WTA 1000 crowns, since last season began. After the latest installment in their head-to-head at the WTA Finals on Tuesday—a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 win for Sabalenka in their second meeting at the year-end championships—the two players agreed that they bring out the best in each other.
But Pegula lamented once again falling just short: this time, from a break ahead in the final frame.
She has now lost nine of 12 matches against Sabalenka all-time, a d the last three have played out in three dramatic sets.
"I do think we have really great matches, memorable matches," she said. "I wish I won more of them ... even my coaches were saying, they're like, 'Whenever you guys play each other, it seems like you guys seem to bring out such a high level in each other.'
"So, I feel like, do I love losing? No. But I feel like, if you asked me in 10 years, like I look back and had all these super memorable matches with her. I think it's, it's pretty cool. I just wish I won more of them."