Jessica Pegula secured her place in the Australian Open quarterfinals on Monday with a straight-sets win over defending champion Madison Keys. The sixth-seeded American claimed a 6-3, 6-4 victory on Rod Laver Arena, reaching the last eight at Melbourne Park for the fourth time in her career.
The match carried an extra layer of competition beyond the court. Pegula and Keys, who are close friends and co-hosts of the ‘The Player’s Box’ podcast, had agreed on a playful wager for their fourth-round clash. The winner would choose a lighthearted forfeit for the loser.
Had Keys won, Pegula , whose parents own the NFL’s Buffalo Bills would have been required to wear a Kansas City Chiefs jersey, featuring the name of either star tight end Travis Kelce or singer Taylor Swift. The Chiefs have been a frequent postseason rival of the Bills in recent years.
“That was some extra motivation,” Pegula said after the match. “That would have been a tough moment for me.”
Instead, it will be Keys who faces the friendly forfeit: eating a slice of apple pie topped with melted cheddar cheese, a Thanksgiving tradition in the Pegula family.
“I hope it’s less gross than I think it’s going to be,” Keys said. “A bet is a bet, so I’ll do it.”
On the court, Pegula began strongly, racing to a 3-0 lead in the first set. She maintained control throughout, sealing the opening set in just 31 minutes. Keys responded with more aggression in the second set, but an early break of serve gave Pegula a lead she would not surrender, despite a late push from the defending champion.
Keys, who had won the pair’s only previous Grand Slam meeting, finished the match with 28 unforced errors and six double faults. Pegula credited her own serve and a bit of good fortune for the win.
Despite the loss, Keys reflected positively on her tournament.
“It’s obviously not the way I wanted things to end here, but I’m still really proud of myself,” Keys said. “Coming back as defending champion, dealing with all the extra pressure and nerves, I’m just really proud of how I handled it.”
With the victory, Pegula moves one step closer to her first major title. Her podcast colleagues, including Keys, will be supporting her next match though perhaps quietly.
“I don’t think she needs any sort of pep talk from me,” Keys said with a smile. “We’ll just be cheering her on.”