‘I Was a Little Surprised’ – Jessica Pegula Makes Feelings Clear on Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open Comeback

Pranjali Prabhudesai Mon, August 31, 2026 at 12:07 AM UTC

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Mar 6, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) warms up before hitting on the practice courts for the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Carlos Alcaraz’s comeback at the 2026 US Open has generated considerable intrigue among fans and fellow players. After spending more than four months on the sidelines, the Spaniard is finally back in competitive action and insists he is ready for the challenge. However, his decision to jump straight into a best-of-five-sets draw has left the tennis community scratching their heads.

Jessica Pegula, the third seed in the women’s singles draw, recently shared her thoughts on the fellow World No. 3’s stint in New York.

Jessica Pegula Weighs In on Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open Comeback

Pegula, who is in contention for the World No. 1 ranking at the US Open, launched her title bid with a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 win against Elena-Gabriela Ruse to open play at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday, August 30. She awaits the winner of Venus Williams vs. Sofia Kenin in the next round.

Before the singles main draw, Pegula competed in the mixed doubles event alongside Taylor Fritz. The American pair suffered an opening-round defeat to Casper Ruud and Diana Shnaider.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, also contested the title, partnering with Serena Williams. The legendary duo won their opening match against doubles specialists Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool before falling to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli.

The matches served as valuable preparation for Alcaraz ahead of his singles title defense, which gets underway on Monday, August 31. The Spaniard understandably looked short of his best in mixed doubles as he worked his way back into competitive form following a four-month layoff due to a right wrist injury.

When asked about the seven-time Grand Slam champion’s arrival in New York, Jessica Pegula admitted she was surprised that Alcaraz had opted not to defend his title at the Cincinnati Open, a decision that would have given him valuable match practice ahead of the final Grand Slam of the year.

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“I think I was a little surprised that he didn’t play Cincy but then still played here because of that. I was like, ‘Wow, that’s a tough thing to do,’” she said during her press conference.

Rather than raising concerns about the format, however, Pegula viewed Alcaraz’s decision to compete in best-of-five sets as an opportunity to give himself more time to settle into his matches.

“I think that he’s a special player, obviously. I think it may be also a little bit different for the men, three out of five. I do think that it gives a little bit more leeway for him to work his way into matches where if it’s two out of three, like for the women, that to me is a little bit tougher because you lose the first set and you come out a little rusty; you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, if I don’t win the second set, I’m out.’”

She reiterated that Alcaraz’s unique qualities and ability to draw energy from the crowd could help him overcome the rust and gradually rediscover his best form at the tournament.

“He’s a special player. He’s a super charismatic, friendly, outgoing person. I think that he’s going to feed off of the energy no matter what. I don’t think he’s forgotten how to play tennis, and I think if he can win his first couple of rounds, he’s going to find his form very, very fast.”

MORE: ‘All in My Head’ – Carlos Alcaraz Opens Up on Overcoming Injury While Dealing With ‘Intrusive Thoughts’ Ahead of US Open

Alcaraz, who is chasing his third title at the US Open, begins his campaign as the second seed against a tricky opponent, Roman Safiullin, in the first round. The Spaniard has gradually stepped up the intensity of his training after dropping his first two practice sets against Daniel Merida Aguilar and Arthur Fils. More recently, he reportedly bounced back by beating Karen Khachanov convincingly in a practice set.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.

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Source: “AOL Sports”