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Despite Suffering Utter Humiliation, Jessica Pegula Voices Genuine Appreciation for WTA Finals Champion Iga Swiatek

Published 11/07/2023, 6:37 AM EST

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via Reuters

The WTA Finals ended with a bang! Iga Swiatek going against Jessica Pegula, two fierce competitors clashing over the year-end title. What to say, it was a thrilling victory for the 22-year-old tennis player, as she got what she lost a few weeks ago, world number one, as an add-on to her Cancun victory. Swiatek won the title, while her American opponent gave her tough competition to take the title home under her name.

But victories and losses are a part of life. While it was a great night for the four-time Grand Slam champion, Pegula kept herself motivated by the loss. After the finals, she took a moment and shared a heartfelt message for her Polish opponent, despite facing quite a humiliating defeat in Cancun.

Jessica Pegula shares a message for 2023 WTA Finals champion Iga Swiatek

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Even after giving her best, Pegula suffered a humiliating loss against the world’s number-one-ranked tennis player. After the victory, during the presentation ceremony, the 29-year-old acknowledged her opponent’s competitive edge for pushing her to become a little better on the tennis court.

She said, “I want to say congrats to Iga and your team and family on an amazing year. Ending the year #1 winning & winning this tournament… You continue to push me to be a better player every year. It makes me a much better player. I really appreciate that.”

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Along with that, she also congratulated her for not having an amazing tournament but for having an amazing year in the bigger picture. Subsequently, this victory is far more special for the 22-year-old, as she regained her world number one title after losing it to Aryna Sabalenka a few months ago.

Nevertheless, this is not the first time that her presentation speech has won tennis fans’ hearts. Earlier, when she won the Korea Open crown, she opened up about her special connection with the Asian country, and her love for Korea impressed the tennis world.

Pegula’s post-match speech at the Korea Open steals the show

The American tennis player made fans burst into applause after the Korea Open 2023 finals when she disclosed her Korean heritage in her post-victory speech. She said, “I’m sorry I don’t speak, but I do like Korean BBQ & kimchi. My mom is Korean & she was adopted from here. It’s really special to be able to win here. Not a lot of people can say that.”

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Along with that, her opponent, Yuan Yue, also talked about how the 5th-ranked tennis player carries a lot of heartwarming qualities as a person. The way Pegula enlightened the beauty of titles beyond achievements, it won’t be wrong to say that she has literally stood out of the crowd.

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Moreover, what do you think about Pegula’s heartwarming tribute? Do let us know in the comment section below.

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Written by:

Pratishtha Prakash

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Pratishtha Prakash is a Senior Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports. With over 1600 articles under her name, she has an unbridled passion for covering the intriguing developments in the off-court lives of the biggest tennis stars. Pratishtha entered the dynamic world of sports journalism after completing her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media and Journalism.
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Edited by:

Aishwary Gaonkar