“That's just bizarre” – Jessica Pegula decries Olympic format pitching compatriots against each other in tennis draws

American tennis player Jessica Pegula recently denounced the Olympic format for pitting players from the same country against each other.

Pegula is currently in Perth, Australia, to represent Team United States at the upcoming United Cup. She is joined by her compatriots Taylor Fritz, Denis Kudla, Alicia Parks, Rajeev Ram, and Desirae Krawczyk. The tournament will begin on Friday, December 29, but Team US will kickstart their campaign on Sunday, December 31, against Great Britain.

Ahead of the tournament, Pegula fielded questions from the media about playing at international events ahead of the 2024 Olympics. She registered her discontent over the probability of playing against one of her teammates in singles and doubles at the quadrennial event.

Pegula stated that she found the scenario of taking on her teammates for medals "bizarre", given the fact that a national side travels and shares mutual space during the Olympics.

"I just think it's weird that you could, like you should play as a team. I don't understand that I could play against another American. Like, that's just kind of a bummer. It kind of kills the whole team atmosphere, to me," she said. "I think [a team format] would just be more fun to me, and it brings more of the Olympic atmosphere to it. It's weird when you can still play each other. To me, that's just bizarre," Pegula added.

The 29-year-old further recalled receiving support from the entire US contingent at the Tokyo Olympics.

"When I played doubles the last time, it almost felt more fun because we were the only doubles team left for our team and everyone was behind us and everyone wants you to win," Jessica Pegula said.

Pegula hoped that the Olympics would change into a more team-based event.

"I don't know. It would be weird playing each other for such a big moment and having the same coaches or the same team with you the entire week to me is weird. I would love if it changed to more of a team aspect," she added.

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A brief account of Jessica Pegula's performance at Tokyo Olympics

Jessica Pegula: Tennis - Olympics: Day 1

Jessica Pegula's maiden Olympics appearance came in Tokyo, Japan. She led the USA's charge in both singles and doubles categories.

In the singles event, she crashed out after a 6-3, 6-3 loss to eventual champion Belinda Bencic from Switzerland in the first round and finished 33rd. The ninth seed Bencic defeated Czechia's Marketa Vondrousova 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 in the gold-medal clash.

For the women's doubles event, she teamed up with Bethanie Mattek-Sands. The duo went as far as the quarterfinals with victories over teams from Poland and France. They were eliminated by the Brazilian pair of Laura Pigossi and Luisa Stefani and finished fifth.