Jessica Pegula hails American sprinter Kendall Ellis for opening up about difficulties of being a professional athlete
World No. 3 Jessica Pegula recently reacted to American sprinter Kendall Ellis' recent admissions regarding her struggles with anxiety.
Ellis, 26, is an American Olympic medalist sprinter. Born in Florida, Ellis is a two-time Olympic medal winner and has also won gold medals at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships. The 26-year-old athlete recently opened up about the difficulties she has faced in being a professional athlete.
In an article released on the online blog site Spikes, Ellis reflected on how constant criticisms leave a deep impact on the athletes' lives.
"Imagine you have a tough day at work. You make a mistake. Your boss knows, maybe a few colleagues. No biggie."
"Professional athletes have a tough day at work and the whole world sees. Comments. Discussions on podcasts. Twitter threads. It lives on the internet forever. Yet athletes still show up time and time again to try to put on a show," Ellis wrote.
The American further clarified that she was not looking for sympathy but rather intends to motivate people to fight their own struggles.
"Let me emphasize that this is not a pity post, but a moment of vulnerability, transparency, and honesty so no one else has to feel as alone as I do in those moments. I will keep putting my failures and successes on public display to encourage others fighting their own battles to continue to show up," Kendall Ellis added.
Jessica Pegula reacted to Ellis' story and acknowledged her struggles as she seconded Ellis' statement.
"Can't think of a better way to explain this, " Pegula wrote on her Instagram story.
Jessica Pegula earlier opened up about her mother's cardiac arrest
Earlier in the year, Jessica Pegula reflected on the ordeal she had to go through following her mother Kim Pegula's cardiac arrest on her birthday.
Through an article in The Players' Tribune, Pegula shed some light on the night her mother's health deteriorated and how her sister saved Kim's life.
"My mom was asleep when my dad woke up to her going into cardiac arrest and she was unresponsive for quite a while. My sister gave her CPR until the ambulance arrived. She saved her life,” Pegula wrote in the article.
Jessica Pegula further elaborated on how the press asked her questions regarding her mother's condition and how it wasn't a fond memory of hers.
“I had to deal with a lot of speculation and questions surrounding her health, even shutting down rumors that she had died. It wasn’t necessarily the most fun Wimbledon experience I remember,” Jessica Pegula said.
Pegula is currently plying her trade at the Dubai Tennis Championships and will lock horns with Barbora Krejcikova in the semifinals of the tournament.