Pegula Happy to Share the Spotlight with Fellow American Hope Gauff 

Jessica Pegula of the United States reacts against Camila Giorgi of Italy during their Women's Singles First Round match on Day Two of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
Jessica Pegula of the United States reacts against Camila Giorgi of Italy during their Women's Singles First Round match on Day Two of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
TT
20

Pegula Happy to Share the Spotlight with Fellow American Hope Gauff 

Jessica Pegula of the United States reacts against Camila Giorgi of Italy during their Women's Singles First Round match on Day Two of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
Jessica Pegula of the United States reacts against Camila Giorgi of Italy during their Women's Singles First Round match on Day Two of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)

Jessica Pegula may be the top ranked American at the US Open but the third seed says she is happy to let red-hot compatriot Coco Gauff carry some of the burden of expectation as they bid to end the country's Grand Slam drought.

World number three Pegula and number six Gauff arrived in New York having won WTA 1000 titles to spark hopes of a first American women's major champion since Sofia Kenin lifted the trophy at the 2020 Australian Open.

Pegula cruised to a 6-2 6-2 opening win over Camila Giorgi on Tuesday - a day after Gauff rallied to beat Laura Siegemund - and the 29-year-old said that she did not mind the focus being on her frequent doubles partner at the tournament.

"I don't know. Maybe it's good," Pegula said with a smile. "Coco can take it, that pressure, not me. I don't know. I mean, I don't mind. She's been winning a lot. I think she deserves a lot of that attention.

"She's obviously very young. She's been playing really well. She's super electric to watch, loves the crowd and New York. No, I don't really have a preference. Either way I think I want to continue to win matches and do the best that I can.

"It's nice that even though I'm the top American, I can't imagine carrying a ton of pressure if it was only me. It's nice that there are a lot of us that are doing well and that have chances to go deep here."

Pegula said the current crop of US women's players - 13 of whom are in the top 100 - were genuine friends and driving each other towards success, just like their male colleagues.

"I think we've embraced the fact that though we're all competing for rankings and tournaments ... even if you play each other you want to beat each other, you're pushing each other at the same time," Pegula said.

"I think that's something the guys are doing well with (Taylor) Fritz, (Tommy) Paul, (Frances) Tiafoe. You see them pushing each other and they're all going higher and higher."



Ukraine and Spain Qualify for Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers - Group E - Switzerland v Ukraine - Radomskie Centrum Sportu, Radom, Poland - April 12, 2025 Ukraine's Katarina Zavatska, Elina Svitolina, captain Mikhail Filima, Marta Kostyuk, Lyudmyla Kichenok, Nadiia Kichenok and their team celebrate after qualifying for the finals REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel
Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers - Group E - Switzerland v Ukraine - Radomskie Centrum Sportu, Radom, Poland - April 12, 2025 Ukraine's Katarina Zavatska, Elina Svitolina, captain Mikhail Filima, Marta Kostyuk, Lyudmyla Kichenok, Nadiia Kichenok and their team celebrate after qualifying for the finals REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel
TT
20

Ukraine and Spain Qualify for Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers - Group E - Switzerland v Ukraine - Radomskie Centrum Sportu, Radom, Poland - April 12, 2025 Ukraine's Katarina Zavatska, Elina Svitolina, captain Mikhail Filima, Marta Kostyuk, Lyudmyla Kichenok, Nadiia Kichenok and their team celebrate after qualifying for the finals REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel
Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers - Group E - Switzerland v Ukraine - Radomskie Centrum Sportu, Radom, Poland - April 12, 2025 Ukraine's Katarina Zavatska, Elina Svitolina, captain Mikhail Filima, Marta Kostyuk, Lyudmyla Kichenok, Nadiia Kichenok and their team celebrate after qualifying for the finals REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel

Elina Svitolina sent Ukraine to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals for the first time with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann to level the countries’ qualifier 1-1 on Saturday.
It ensured Ukraine tops Group E to qualify for the tournament in Shenzhen in September, The Associated Press reported. Switzerland needed a flawless record against Ukraine to progress. Ukraine went on to win 2-1.
Spain also secured its place in the finals after Jessica Bouzas Maneiro defeated Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-2 for an unassailable 2-0 lead in their meeting.
Bernarda Pera defeated Denmark’s Johanne Svendsen to give the United States a 2-0 lead in Group C. The US next faces host nation Slovakia on Sunday with the winner going through to the finals.
Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima saved two match points before beating Romania’s Anca Todoni 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 to win their meeting in Group A. It set up a decider against Canada on Sunday to determine which team qualifies for the finals.