Jessica Pegula: Tennis Should Be Less 'Stuffy' and More Entertaining

Jessica Pegula has backed Novak Djokovic's call for tennis to become more entertaining, saying the sport should be less 'stuffy' and showcase more personality to attract new fans.

World number six Jessica Pegula has echoed Novak Djokovic's sentiments, advocating for tennis to shed its traditional, formal image and become more entertaining for fans. Pegula, 30, concurred with Djokovic's assertion that the sport should be “more fun” and less “stuffy” and “uppity,” suggesting that a more relaxed and lively atmosphere would benefit the game.

Novak Djokovic, 37, sparked the conversation after his third-round victory at the Australian Open, proposing innovative ideas to enhance the spectator experience. One of his suggestions included introducing dancers onto the court during breaks, aiming to appeal to a new generation of fans and inject more excitement into the sport. Pegula's endorsement of Djokovic's views underscores the growing sentiment among players that tennis needs to evolve and become more engaging for its audience.

Big day for Serbia 🇷🇸

Olga Danilovic joined Novak Djokovic in reaching the second week with her upset of No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula.#AusOpen • #AO2025

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 17, 2025

Jessica Pegula shared her thoughts on the conservative nature of tennis, stating, “It's always kind of been a little bit of a stuffy, uppity kind of sport.” She expressed her desire for the sport to become more entertaining and showcase the personalities of its players. Pegula emphasized, “At the end of the day we're entertainers, and I think it can help the sport having more personality.”

As the daughter of the owner of the Buffalo Bills NFL team, Pegula is familiar with the high-energy entertainment packages that accompany American football games. However, she noted that tennis has been slow to adopt a similar approach. Pegula attributed this partly to the impact of social media, which can make players hesitant to express themselves freely. “Nowadays it's maybe tougher with social media that everything kind of comes back to haunt you,” she said. Despite this challenge, Pegula encouraged players to be more light-hearted and showcase their personalities.

Let the rhythm take you, @Gael_Monfils.#AO2025 pic.twitter.com/7MddKHRPVW

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2025

Pegula reminisced about the past, when social media was not as prevalent, and players were more likely to express themselves freely. “Back in the day when social media wasn't around, you had so much more personality in tennis, probably because those things didn't stick with you forever,” she said. Pegula concluded by reiterating the importance of personality in tennis, stating, “I think the more personality, the better.”