"Coco Gauff won't say anything, but her dad will try & get me going" - Jessica Pegula jokes about Buffalo Bills-Miami Dolphins fan battle with partner
Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff may be partners on the tennis court, but move the competition to football and the battle lines are drawn clear.
Jessica Pegula was asked whether Gauff’s allegiance to the Miami Dolphins gives way to a fan battle during a recent interview with the Tennis Channel on the sidelines of the Miami Open.
Pegula, whose father owns the Buffalo Bills that competes against the Dolphins in the National Football League’s American Football Conference East division, joked that it was in fact Gauff’s father who tries to “get her going” during their time in Miami.
"When it was like last year coming close Coco Gauff's like, and she won't say anything, and I don't say anything, but it's like there, but her dad will, like, try and get me going," Jessica Pegula said. "Oh man, those Miami Dolphins we're looking good. And I'm just like whatever."
"Yeah, I mean, hey, they're a good team," she continued. "So, uh, they've been playing a lot better the past year, so they're going to be tough in our division. We've kind of owned the division the last few years, but it might be a little bit tougher."
Notably, Hard Rock Stadium, the venue for the Miami Open, also doubles as the home of the Dolphins.
Pegula recalled watching some of the Dolphins-Bills games, joking that the sun is always angled towards the visiting team.
"It's funny, I've been here a few times for Buffalo Bill's games, where we sit like, literally on the sideline here, and uh, usually the roof, it angles the sun right on the away team," the American said.
"So you're just on the side and, you know, everyone's from Buffalo Bills is baking so it's pretty funny," she added.
Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff book fourth-round spots at the Miami Open
Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff booked their respective spots in the Miami Open fourth round, coming through in straight sets.
Pegula had a much harder time, winning 7-5, 6-4 against Leylah Fernandez. The American heaped praise on her opponent, saying she knew that she had to be at her best to come through. She said at the post-match press conference:
"Once I got on a roll in the first, I think that, um, I felt a little bit more settled. So even though we were kind of going back and forth, I still felt like I kind of had control and I felt like I was gonna be able to hold, and it was going to be harder for her to hold."
"I just tried to hold on to that mentality, but, yeah, she, um, obviously, yeah, made it very tough and, um, which I knew she would," she added.
Gauff, meanwhile, beat Oceane Dodin 6-4, 6-0 to book her spot in the Round of 16.