THE MODERATOR: Jess, welcome back. Your first tournament of the 2025 season. Can you give us an update on how your off-season has been and your preparations for here in Adelaide.
JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, Happy New Year, everyone. It's nice to be here in Adelaide.
Off-season was pretty good. I was kind of battling a little bit of a knee injury that I withdrew in Saudi with. I felt like it went well, but I just needed kind of a little bit of an extra week. That's why I opted out of playing Brisbane and starting here instead.
Yeah, but feeling really good. All is well. Enjoyed the nice break and ready to start 2025 season.
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Playing the US Open final, is that still a fresh memory? Is it still a major motivation?
JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, definitely. It's funny how it feels like so long ago, but also feels like last week at the same time. Tennis is weird like that.
It's definitely a motivation for me to want to do well this year and keep going for my goals and everything that I've set out for myself this year.
But yeah, it's still a nice, fresh memory I feel like in my mind. Hopefully it stays that way I think to keep the motivation going.
Q. A lot of players don't like to play the week before a slam. Obviously that's not the case here. Is it because you started a bit late or just the way you like it?
JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I don't know. I think I go back and forth. Sometimes I like the week and sometimes when I haven't played many matches I feel like it's good to keep that match momentum going.
The tournament here, the draw is really, really tough, so I think it will be good to test how my body's feeling and everything. Normally I'd probably play more than one before a slam, maybe not the week before a slam. At the same time I was dealing with an injury. That's just kind of how the schedule worked out.
Yeah, I'll just have to deal with it I guess for this week. Excited to definitely play some matches before going into Australian Open.
Q. How do you go about researching a player on short notice when you've not played them before, like your first round?
JESSICA PEGULA: I was actually supposed to practice with Linda tomorrow but we decided to axe the practice.
We all know each other so well, even if we haven't played. We've probably at least practiced, maybe played doubles or done something, seen each other play a lot, seen the matchup.
For me, I kind of know how each of 'em play. Mirra, I don't think I've ever practiced with her or anything. It's always tough because you don't know how their ball is going to kind of come off the racquet, you don't know what to expect. It's definitely one of those things where you're not really used to it the first few games. I think you settle in pretty quickly.
You can definitely watch everybody online as well. You can kind of get a good idea on what your strategy is going in.
Q. In August last year when you had the great run at Toronto, Cincinnati and the U.S., obviously the momentum was phenomenal for you. How important is it for you to gain that momentum going into a slam next week?
JESSICA PEGULA: Definitely. I mean, I haven't played since Saudi. I only played, like, two matches. It feels like it's been a long time I feel like since I really played. I definitely want to get that match play and that momentum back. I think it's always important going into a slam.
At the same time I feel like going into Toronto I didn't have a ton of matches behind me either and I was able to really get hot there and do well.
I think when you look at it from both sides, I like being match-tough, but at the same time I know if I can just get a few matches, get that confidence, I can also do well without a lot of prep, too. I think you want to look at both those sides.
To start the year, I definitely like playing an event. Who doesn't want to start off the year on a good note, too. This tournament is really tough. If I can do well here with the way the draw is, I feel like it will give me a lot of confidence going into AO.
Q. What is the most unusual or craziest experience you've ever had on tour with a player or with a fan?
JESSICA PEGULA: Well, with a fan, I think I signed in Asia my wedding picture, a printed-out picture from my wedding. I've definitely not done that before. Then they kept it, which is weird. That was bizarre, for sure. I think that was in China.
Then with a player? I mean, I don't know. We have a lot of, like, I'm sure I've had a lot of crazy travel experiences with players, just missing flights, missing trips. Chaos kind of consumes when you both are kind of on the same travel schedule or flights in between tournaments.
But yeah, I'd have to really think about the player one. But the fan one, for sure that was weird.
Q. When you're putting your shoes on, are you a sock-sock, shoe-shoe person or...
JESSICA PEGULA: Sock-sock, shoe-shoe.
Q. That's a good answer.
JESSICA PEGULA: Does anyone do the other?
Q. Apparently.
JESSICA PEGULA: Definitely all socks on first, then shoes.
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