Jessica Pegula faced Madison Keys in the Adelaide International final earlier this month and experienced the full force of her fellow American’s game. Witnessing her opponent’s dominant performance, Pegula boldly predicted that Keys had what it took to win the Australian Open.
The two Americans share more than just a tennis rivalry; they share a friendship that saw Pegula attending Keys’ offseason wedding to former pro-turned-coach Bjorn Fratangelo. And it seems Pegula’s bond with Keys comes with a knack for reading her potential.
This is true. I kinda told everyone tbh 🤣 https://t.co/qxY8F2YmZK
— Jessie Pegula (@JPegula) January 25, 2025
During the television coverage of the Australian Open final, ESPN’s Rennae Stubbs shared Pegula’s prophetic words. The world No. 6 told Stubbs that if Keys played even half as well as she did in the third set of their WTA 500 Adelaide final, she could claim the ultimate prize at Melbourne Park.
Pegula’s prediction quickly became a reality. Playing in her second Grand Slam final, Keys delivered a career-defining performance at the Australian Open, defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka to win her first major title.
Pegula couldn’t resist chiming in on Twitter as her words came true. Responding to a tweet that quoted her prediction, Pegula confirmed, “This is true. I kinda told everyone tbh,” adding a laughing emoji to punctuate the moment.
Women’s Tennis Blog