Published 01/17/2023, 10:07 PM EST
Australian Open and NFL Playoffs season are going on with full force. Players like Paula Badosa, Carlos Alcaraz, and Nick Kyrgios on the tennis side are missing out on the first major of the year because of some injury scares. On the other hand, we have Damar Hamlin, of the Buffalo Bills who had a cardiac arrest mid-match. And American tennis star Jessica Pegula had a special message for him.
After playing her first-round match against Jacqueline Christine, she paid a beautiful gesture to the NFL star. Growing up surrounded by an NFL team-owned family, here’s how Pegula sent her wishes to Hamlin.
Jessica Pegula sends wishes to Damar Hamlin during Australian Open
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Last year, Damar Hamlin had a heart stroke in between a match. Later on, it was detailed that his heart had stopped working at that moment. As of now, the player is recovering at his home. For his comeback, there has not been a decisive announcement as the focus is on his recovery.
But as the NFL Playoffs begin, Buffalo Bills played its match without Hamlin and Pegula had a message for him. After securing a straight-sets victory over Jacqueline Christine, she paid tribute to Damar Hamlin. She wore his jersey number on her waist. Not only that, she went to the winners’ camera and wrote, “Go Bills #3.”
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Jessica Pegula took her time to rise in the tennis realm, but NFL has always been around her. Her parents, Kim Pegula and Terry Pegula are the owners of the Buffalo Bills.
Despite being from a privileged family background, Pegula has always sworn her allegiance to tennis.
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Pegula on sticking to tennis despite mother’s worries
Back in 2014, Jessica Pegula had a rough year engulfed with injuries that stalled her performance. And her mother had worried about her decision to carry on when she could be doing anything else that she wanted to.
However, Pegula had other plans, she loved the sport and knew she had to stick to it. She did not want people to think that she did not work for things that she wanted and hence, stayed resilient.
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The result is clear as a day now. The American tennis sensation is currently ranked world no. 3 on the WTA ranking chart. Furthermore, she also took down Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals of the United Cup recently in Sydney.