Jessica Pegula Calls for Consistent Tennis Balls Ahead of DC Open Final

World No. 3 Jessica Pegula, seeded No. 1 at the Citi DC Open, reached the tournament final in Washington but used the platform to denounce the inconsistent quality of the tennis balls in use. She said the balls vary between manufacturers, production batches, court surfaces and weather conditions, forcing players to constantly readjust their game. At the DC Open the balls are supplied by Wilson, while other events such as the Los Cabos Open use Dunlop, highlighting the lack of uniform standards.

Pegula noted that balls are typically changed after the seventh game and then every nine games, but the rapid wear on gritty courts and in hot, humid conditions makes them “really chewed up.” She joined other top players—including Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and former champion Roger Federer—in urging tour organizers to adopt more consistent equipment policies to improve playability and reduce injury risk.