Jessica Pegula directly addressed the narrative surrounding her drinking habits during a recent podcast appearance, clarifying misconceptions that have followed her throughout her career. The American tennis star spoke candidly about the viral moments that sparked widespread speculation about her consumption habits, providing context for incidents that captured the world’s attention.
Jessica Pegula Explains Her Misinterpreted On-Tour Drinking Habits
Pegula’s relationship with alcohol gained significant attention during the 2022 US Open, when she was photographed with a Heineken in hand at a post-match press conference following her quarterfinal loss to Iga Świątek. She subsequently explained that she had been drinking primarily to accelerate her body’s doping test process, while mentioning that the beer also eased the pain of her loss.
However, this wasn’t the last time Pegula was linked with beverages. In March 2025, following her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in the Miami Open final, Pegula was captured on camera sipping from Sabalenka’s signature Marg-Aryna cocktail during her opponent’s interview segment. The moment showed the two competitors sharing a lighthearted exchange, with Sabalenka warmly commenting on their camaraderie.
More recently, in September 2025, after losing to Sabalenka in the US Open semifinals, Pegula posted a photograph on social media holding the US Open’s iconic Honey Deuce cocktail, accompanied by a witty caption that made headlines again.
During her recent appearance on The Changeover Podcast, Pegula directly confronted the perception that has developed around these incidents. She stated, “I think I just go with whatever I feel. It’s funny people think I’m like drinking all the time, I don’t really drink that much. I really don’t. But when you’re on like your third week of Asia and China, and I played like eight three-set matches in a row, I was like having a beer at the end of the day, like on the last couple of days of the tournament.”
She explained how the beverage helps her in her performance, “You get some carbs in, like I was playing some really long matches, too. So if I’m like, ‘You know what, that’s going to give me a little peace of mind mentally, like I’m not afraid to do that.’ And the couple of other ones were kind of after matches, so that was a little bit therapeutic.”
The American added that she is very disciplined in her life, but she treats herself to a beer after losing in a particular tournament she worked really hard for.
Pegula Prepares for Adelaide and Melbourne Following Brisbane Setback
Pegula’s recent form took a significant hit at the Brisbane International, where she suffered a dominant loss in the semifinals to Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk. The fourth-seeded American fell in straight sets with a scoreline of 6-0, 6-3, with the match concluding in just 56 minutes.
Kostyuk delivered one of the most dominant displays of the tournament with excellent ball striking and shot selection. The loss marked an unexpected stumble for Pegula, who had been performing well in the early stages of the tournament.
However, Pegula’s pathway to the Australian Open remains strong as she prepares for the Adelaide International as the tournament’s first seed. She enters Adelaide with a first-round bye and will begin her campaign against top players as she looks to gain momentum heading into the year’s first Grand Slam.
As the potential sixth seed at the Australian Open, Pegula is one of the tournament’s top title contenders with aspirations of claiming her first career Grand Slam championship.
