Before Wimbledon, Sabalenka shared a light practice session with Jessica Pegula at the All England Club. During the hit, she openly joked about the third set Pegula had just handed her in Berlin. Last Saturday, Pegula beat Sabalenka 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-0 in the Berlin semifinal, a result that landed at an awkward time for the world No. 1.
Pegula sits at No. 4 and now owns 4 career wins over Sabalenka, while Elena Rybakina enters Wimbledon close enough to challenge for the top ranking. That mix of ranking pressure, recent proof, and grass-court timing gives the joke a sharper edge than usual.
The Practice Smile Came With A Scoreline
Sabalenka could have brushed past the Berlin result with a standard answer. Instead, she named the uncomfortable part herself, and turning a light moment into a reminder of how badly the match had finished.
Pegula said “really humiliated me like a baby”
The line was funny because Sabalenka did not pretend the score was harmless. A 6-0 set against a top 5 opponent does not just sting. On grass, it can expose footwork, timing, and second-serve protection in a hurry.
Pegula won the first set in Berlin, lost the second in a tiebreak after a rain delay, then took complete control by winning the final 6 games. Sabalenka did not simply lose rhythm. Pegula took time away from her, kept the ball low, and made the bigger hitter play from uncomfortable positions.
That is the real point behind the exchange. Pegula’s performance still matters because the same patterns can return at Wimbledon.
Pegula Found A Grass Court Formula
Sabalenka still owns the larger history of this matchup. Her power has usually set the terms. On hard courts, her booming serve and first-strike game can rush Pegula before the American settles into rallies.
Grass changes that exchange.
The slick surface tests footwork and creates awkward return positions. It also rewards players who take the ball early and keep swings short. Pegula does both well. Her flat groundstrokes skid through the court, and that robs Sabalenka of the time she likes before unloading from the baseline.
Against Sabalenka, that skill is vital. It allows Pegula to absorb heavy pace and force the bigger hitter to play extra balls. When Sabalenka has to strike from low contact points or late positions, errors can come quickly.
Berlin showed that in the third set. Pegula did not need to overpower Sabalenka. She held her line, redirected pace, and let the surface do part of the work.
The Rivalry Has Edge Without Bad Blood
Beyond the self-deprecation, the moment highlighted a rare, genuine camaraderie between 2 major rivals.
Pegula had every reason to enjoy the Berlin result. Sabalenka had every reason to hate the memory of it. Yet they still shared a court, smiled for the cameras, and treated the session like normal business before a Grand Slam.
That does not soften the rivalry. It sharpens it. Elite tennis players can respect each other and still know exactly what the scoreboard says.
Sabalenka knows Pegula is not a harmless practice partner. Pegula knows Sabalenka will not treat a possible rematch casually. Both players can smile in June and still understand what a Wimbledon meeting would demand.
The joke was light. The tennis behind it was serious.
Wimbledon Raises The Stakes
Sabalenka enters Wimbledon carrying the target that comes with being No. 1, and Rybakina’s chase adds another layer to the pressure. Sabalenka is not only trying to answer Pegula’s Berlin statement. She also has to defend the top ranking at a tournament where Rybakina already owns major grass-court credibility.
A Wimbledon title is still missing from Sabalenka’s resume, which matters for a player who has already proved so much elsewhere. Her serve can dominate on the surface, but the same court can punish rushed movement and loose timing if Pegula or another clean striker gets her off balance.
Pegula arrives with a different kind of momentum. She does not need to sell herself as the favorite because Berlin already showed enough. Her game can travel to grass, and her win over Sabalenka gave the rest of the draw a clear example of how the matchup can shift.
If they meet again at Wimbledon, Sabalenka will try to prove the Berlin bagel was just a bad final set, while Pegula will try to prove it was a pattern.
Sabalenka easily won the joke. Now she has to make sure Wimbledon does not make her feel like a baby again.
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FAQs
What did Aryna Sabalenka say about Jessica Pegula?
Sabalenka joked that Pegula “really humiliated me like a baby” after the Berlin semifinal.
What was the Sabalenka vs Pegula score in Berlin?
Pegula beat Sabalenka 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-0 in the Berlin semifinal.
Why does Pegula’s Berlin win matter before Wimbledon?
Pegula showed her flat, compact game can rush Sabalenka on grass. That makes a Wimbledon rematch more dangerous.
Is Aryna Sabalenka still No. 1 before Wimbledon?
Yes. Sabalenka enters Wimbledon as the WTA No. 1, with Rybakina close enough to challenge.
Could Sabalenka and Pegula meet again at Wimbledon?
Yes. If the draw brings them together, Sabalenka will try to prove Berlin was only one bad set.
