Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula shared a lighthearted exchange while practicing together at the All England Club ahead of Wimbledon. The world No. 1 reflected on her 6-0 third-set loss to Pegula in the Berlin semi-final. The two players are seeded to meet in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
During a mic’d-up session on Center Court, Sabalenka described the Berlin result to interviewer Laura Robson. “She really humiliated me like a baby,” she said, before adding that she remains on good terms with Pegula.
Pegula expressed surprise at the practice arrangement, which had been organized by Robson rather than the players themselves. “I was shocked,” Pegula said. Sabalenka quickly clarified that no direct request had been made.
Sabalenka, the top seed, opens against qualifier Teodora Kostović. Pegula, seeded fourth, faces Darja Vidmanová in the first round. Their potential semi-final matchup would mark their first grass-court meeting since the Berlin contest.
The exchange highlighted the players’ ongoing rivalry, which Sabalenka leads 9-4 overall, though Pegula holds recent success on grass.