Fans are the heart and soul of any sport. Tennis isn’t any different. From casual fans to ardent ones, the sport has seen several instances of passionate fan behavior. Recently, something similar happened to the American tennis star, Jessica Pegula. The current WTA World No. 3 recently landed in Beijing for her upcoming match at the China Open. Her little refreshment at her home Grand Slam, last year, gave one of her ardent fans the opportunity to pull off an amazing fan moment.
The American star at last year’s US Open lost to the 4-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek. Pegula had an incredible run in the tournament until the quarter-finals. Iga aced Jessica with two amazing sets of 6-3 and 7-6. Post-match, she was having some Heineken beer, probably to comfort herself. No one could have thought that her iconic beer act would lead to something so engaging.
Offhand moment by Jessica Pegula inspires fan creativity
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Jessica will be against Russia’s Anna Blinkova, for her match at the China Open. Upon her arrival, apparently, some of her fans rushed to get an autograph. However, these requests for autographs were unlike any.
Fans in Beijing went above and beyond in showing their appreciation for Jessica. They asked her to sign their Heineken cans, inspired by her iconic beer moment.
Some fans in Beijing literally asked Pegula to sign their Heineken after she had one at the US Open!?😭😭😭
(via 全网球 Felix) pic.twitter.com/mR0ZLxvJw8
— Relevant Tennis (@RelevantTennis) October 2, 2023
It seems like Pegula graciously signed the bottles, making it a special moment for those fans. This might be one of the best fan interactions ever. All thanks to Jessica’s little sip at the press conference.
Looks like the world No.3 found all the motivation she could need to ace this match. Jessica, following her defeat in the Tokyo Open, was pushed to the China Open. However, her participation in the event falls under Performance Byes. It was bound to happen, considering she was outstanding during her previous tournament.
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Jessica’s match with Blinkova
This won’t be Jessica’s first face-off against Blinkova this season. The American got the better of her Russian counterpart in their previous meeting at the Charleston Open. Looking at her performance in the last few tours, Jessica’s form has been magnificent. Blinkova will have to come up with her best at this match to exact her revenge.
Blinkova’s strategy should involve a little focus on her servings. Yet, it will still be tough for her to counter Pegula’s high-impact shots. This match will decide whether Pegula can grab her spot in the round of 16 or not.
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Jessica Pegula has some of the best fans, it seems at least from the Heineken episode. Her match with Anna Blinkova will have a lot of them rooting for her. Do you think the American star will get another chance to sign a Heineken can by staying in the tournament?
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