Watch: Jessica Pegula passes her time during Miami Open rain delay conversing with opponent Anastasia Potapova, helps ball kids in cleaning up court
Jessica Pegula showed a touch of class during the rain delay during her Miami Open quarterfinal clash against Anastasia Potapova.
Pegula and Potapova were all set to lock horns in the last eight of the WTA 1000 event, their second meeting this season. However, the start of their match was delayed due to rain.
During the rain delay, Pegula was seen chatting with her opponent at the net and also helping the ball kids clean the court.
rain delay #3 https://t.co/dEiuwEpH9b
Pegula received a lot of praise from tennis fans on social media for helping the ball kids clean the court. One fan claimed that the 28-year-old, who is the daughter of a billionaire, showed "nepo babies" how to work hard.
"Jessica Pegula showing all the nepo babies what a hard days work looks like," the fan's tweet read.
Jessica Pegula showing all the nepo babies what a hard days work looks like https://t.co/9bNjmBoUnY
Another fan called the World No. 3 a hard-working and humble billionaire who was a 'true woman for the people.'
"Hardworking and humble billionaire. A true woman for the people," the fan's tweet read.
twitter.com/some1namedryan…Hardworking and humble billionaire. A true woman for the people 😊 twitter.com/some1namedryan…
Another fan called Pegula a 'working class hero.'
@Some1NamedRyan Working class hero 🫡
Jessica Pegula beats Anastasia Potapova to reach Miami Open 2023 semifinals
After the rain cleared up, Jessica Pegula beat Anastasia Potapova 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(2) to book her place in the Miami Open semifinals for the second successive year.
The American showed a lot of resilience as she saved two match points while trailing 15-40 in the 10th game of the third set. Potapova then broke to lead 6-5, but Pegula broke back immediately to take the match to a tiebreaker, which she won 7-2.
Pegula will next face Indian Wells champion and 10th seed Elena Rybakina, who thrashed Martina Trevisan 6-3, 6-0 in the quarterfinals. The two will lock horns for the third time, with Pegula winning both of their prior encounters in 2022.
The 28-year-old is also competing in the women's doubles event in Miami, with Coco Gauff as her partner. The pair are seeded second and they booked their spot in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 tournament with a 6-4, 7-6(4) win over Asia Muhammad and Anna Dalinina.
They face sixth seeds Elise Mertens and Storm Sanders next. The winner of that match will play either eighth seeded Nicole-Melichar Martinez and Ellen Perez or Chang Hao-chin and Latisha Chan in the semifinals.
If Pegula manages to win the women's singles and doubles titles, she will become only the fourth woman to do so in the same year at the Miami Open. The other players who have attained this feat are Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario.