Jessica Pegula: "It would be fun to be more vocal to each other, see more personality from players"

Jessica Pegula recently said she would like to bring more interaction between players if she was given a chance to change one thing in the sport.

The American tennis player was speaking with the media after her passage to the third round of the ongoing French Open. Pegula was leading 6-2 in the second round when her opponent Camila Giorgi retired with an injury.

Pegula, seeded third at Roland Garros, will meet Elise Mertens in the third round. Mertens beat Colombian lucky loser Camila Osorio 6-3, 7-6(3) in the second round.

At a press conference after her match, Jessica Pegula was asked what she would change in the game if she was made the commissioner. The American replied that she would like players to engage more with each other and for such interactions to not be "looked down upon."

"I guess maybe since we were talking about it this year is like trash talking, I think it would be fun if you could be more vocal to each other and it kind of was part of it and not maybe so much looked down upon," Pegula said. "Not like cursing at each other the whole time, but I don't know, something maybe more interaction with players."

Jessica Pegula added that being vocal and having healthy interactions with her opponents was always fun and entertaining.

"I always think that would be kind of fun. So I don't know what way it would be to facilitate that. But to me, that would be kind of something cool just to make it more entertaining and see more personality from the players," she added.

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Jessica Pegula hopes to make it to the 'Big 3' sooner rather than later

Jessica Pegula in action at the 2023 French Open.

Although Jessica Pegula is ranked third in the WTA rankings, she hasn't found a spot in the unofficial "Big 3" of women's tennis. That group currently comprises, by common consensus, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina.

The American doffed her hat to the trio but expressed hope that she would also make it to the club sooner rather than later.

"No, I'm not part of it (the unofficial Big 3), but hopefully, one day, I will be," Pegula said. "Hopefully this year. They've earned that right. They've been playing really solid tennis. Iga, we already know from last year. Aryna, I felt like broke through in Australia as far as like winning a slam, but I think her results have always been up there. Then Elena at the end of last year as well."

Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina are the current reigning Slam champions on the WTA tour. While Swiatek has won the French Open and the US Open, Rybakina has won Wimbledon and Sabalenka has triumphed at the Australian Open.

Pegula, meanwhile, has never gone beyond the quarterfinals of a Major.