Remember when both ATP and WTA players were asked about their go-to emergency contacts at the 2024 US Open? Jessica Pegula here confidently chose herself, saying, “I actually think I also be good in a crisis. Coco was telling me that at the Olympics I was like the Mom of the group. And I wasn’t even trying to be. I guess that’s just where I land.” Fast forward to today, and Pegula’s stance has shifted drastically. Who is her pick as the emergency contact now?

Recently, the official Instagram account of the BNP Paribas Open shared a video where the Australian Open champion Madison Keys was asked if she was an authority on anything apart from tennis. Her response? “I don’t think I’m an authority on anything, really. No one should really listen to anything that I say. I’m just here whining about it. I still call my mom all the time for most of the answers that I need. Umm…yeah, I’m just…I still can’t believe that I’m an adult and that people have left me in charge of anything.” 

Well, Keys’ mother, Christine, an attorney by profession, made immense sacrifices to support her daughter’s dreams, even pausing her career for nearly a decade to move to Boca Raton, Fla. Though she returned to law in 2015, she later embraced a new role in 2022 as the president of Madison’s charityKindness Wins. 

Coming back to Keys nonetheless, she might not consider herself authoritative enough on anything apart from tennis, but fellow countrywoman Jessica Pegula has dubbed her as a motherly figure and has chosen her as an emergency contact!

A while back, the official WTA IG page shared a video captioned, “Who to ring in an emergency? ☎️ Stick with who you know 😅 #TennisParadise,” featuring some of the biggest names in women’s tennis, including Iga Swiatek, Paula Badosa, and finalists of this year’s BNP Paribas Open, Mirra Andreeva and Jessica Pegula, who revealed their emergency contacts. In a surprising twist, the 4th seed Pegula said, “Probably Madison Keys. She’s definitely I always feel like the mom everywhere we go. She always like has been there, been through it, and has the answer. So I would say she would definitely know what to do if I had to call her and I was in a bind.” That answer certainly left fans amused and intrigued as it was an unexpected choice.

Pegua and Maddie Keys share a strong bond. Just last month, the US Open finalist had admitted it was “tough” to see Keys barred from competing at the ATX Open in Austin because of an unusual WTA rule. The WTA regulations prohibit two top-10 players from entering the same WTA 250 event unless one is the defending champion at the same. This rule ultimately kept Keys from competing, leaving Pegula frustrated by the restriction. “It’s so hard to say because you can see both sides, right? I mean, sometimes there are small tournaments before, and if it was like a big week, like here before Indian Wells, you could have a couple of top-10 players,” the 30-year-old said.

Despite backing Madison in tough moments, whether it’s missing out on a tournament or being her emergency contact, Pegula also celebrates her friend’s triumphs. She wholeheartedly admires her countrywoman’s recent success and takes joy in seeing her shine.

“Takes a lot of courage to do what Madison did,” Jessica Pegula backs Madison Keys after AO triumph

Madison Keys‘ stunning AO victory sent shockwaves through the tennis world, and the buzz still lingers. Her close friend, Jessica Pegula, made strides at the WTA 1000 in Doha last month and reflected on how Keys’ triumph influenced her mindset. While many praise the title, ranking boost, and personal achievement, Pegula admires Keys’ courage to embrace change at a mature stage in her career. Trusting her husband as her sole coach and switching racket brands after years of loyalty couldn’t have been easy. Yet, those bold decisions ultimately paved her path to glory Down Under, a testament to the power of reinvention.

“It’s great to see the journey of each of my colleagues; each has a different story that can be rewritten in many possible ways throughout a career. I have also seen this in my career, which emerged somewhat late, totally different from Madison’s, who was promoted for so many years. It takes a lot of courage to do what Madison did, which is why it bothers me when people question our changes despite them working. With Madison, we already knew she could hit the ball like no one else, but that additional 10% is often the difference between winning a Grand Slam or losing in the quarterfinals,” Pegula said while talking to the official website of WTA.

With Pegula’s R16 exit and Keys’ crushing 51-minute loss to top seed Aryna Sabalenka at the Indian Wells Open, both American stars now set their sights on the Miami Open starting from the 18th. Will they bounce back and potentially face off in an exciting showdown deep into the tournament? Drop your thoughts below!