"Never know when you'll need it" - Jessica Pegula praises Coco Gauff for urging fans to learn CPR after Citi Open incident
American tennis player Jessica Pegula recently commented on her compatriot Coco Gauff offering her CPR services and telling the crowd in Washington to learn it too.
Gauff urged fans at the Citi Open in Washington to take cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) courses that can help save lives. The American also said that she would have been ready to jump in if needed after a spectator fell ill during her match in the quarterfinals.
Gauff defeated Belinda Bencic, 6-1, 6-2 to book herself a place in the semifinals of the tournament. After the match, she was asked about the unfortunate moment that happened during the match.
"At first, I was just making sure that it wasn't something cardiac. I just took a CPR class, so if they needed me to jump in, I was ready. I have my certification," Gauff said.
"I did ask the ref if it was cardiac. I'm sure there are more professional people out here, but she said it wasn't ... that's when I realized the person will probably be OK," she added.
Dr. @CocoGauff, reporting for duty 🩺
#MubadalaCitiDCOpen pic.twitter.com/I5QEF2KXLl
The 19-year-old then urged everyone in the stadium to learn CPR:
"But yeah, everybody in the stadium should take the class. It took 90 minutes. I booked it on the flight from Wimbledon... it's really informative."
Jessica Pegula saw the video and reacted to it on social media.
"Preach, Coco Gauff. Never know when you will need it!" Pegula wrote on Twitter.
🏼 never know when you will need it! twitter.com/mubadalacitidc…Preach @CocoGauff 🙏🏼 never know when you will need it! twitter.com/mubadalacitidc…
Jessica Pegula plays Maria Sakkari in Citi Open 2023 semifinals
Jessica Pegula will face Maria Sakkari in the semifinals of the 2023 Citi Open in Washington.
Pegula managed to defeat Payton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 and Elina Svitolina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 on her way to the semifinals. Meanwhile, Sakkari bested Leylah Fernandez 7-5, 6-2 and Madison Keys 6-3, 6-3.
This will be the eighth matchup between the American and the Greek, with Sakkari currently in the lead with four wins. But Pegula was victorious in their last meeting, triumphing 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 in the semifinal of the 2023 Doha Open.
In the other semifinal, Coco Gauff will take on Russia's Ludmila Samsonova. In her first two matches of the tournament, Gauff bested Hailey Baptiste 6-1, 6-4, and Belinda Bencic 6-1, 6-2.
Samsonova herself started off by defeating Danielle Collins 6-1, 6-3. She then went on to beat Sorana Cirstea 6-1, 6-3, and Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-2.
This will be the third duel between Coco Gauff and Ludmila Samsonova. The 19-year-old American emerged victorious in the previous two, winning in the semifinal of the 2019 Linz Open 6-7(10), 6-2, 6-2, and in the second round of the 2021 Charleston Open 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.