Tennis Star Hits Back After Being Accused of 'Drinking All The Time'

Tennis star Jessica Pegula has hit back at critics who have accused her of ‘drinking all the time’.

Pegula kicked off the 2026 season with progression to the semi-finals of the Brisbane International in the build up to the Australian Open later this month.

The American star defeated Anna Kalinskaya, Dayana Yastremska and Liudmila Samsonova on her way to the final four.

However, Pegula crashed to a 6-0, 6-3 loss to Marta Kostyuk over the weekend to dash her Brisbane International hopes.

Pegula discusses drinking misconception

And after her time in Brisbane came to an end, the World Number 6 made an appearance on the Changeover podcast to discuss the widespread misconception that she drinks a lot.

“I think I just go with whatever I feel, OK. I mean, I, it's funny, people think I'm like drinking all the time. I don't really drink that much. Like I really don't,” Pegula said.

“But you know, when you're on like your third week of Asia and China and you've played, I played like 8 three set matches in a row. I was like having a beer at the end of the day.

“Like on the last couple days of the tournament, you know, you get some carbs in like I was playing some really long matches too. So like that, if I'm like, you know what, that's going to give me a little peace of mind mentally.

Pegula hit out at critics (Image: Getty)

“Like I'm not afraid to to do that. And the couple other ones were kind of after matches. So that was a little bit therapeutic. But no, I think you should just, I think if you have a good sense of knowing yourself, people are very different and they can get a way.

“Maybe some people can't do that at all. Or maybe, you know, I, I think I'm always really good at being super disciplined. But then also, you know, I've worked really hard. Like this sucks. Like I'm going to have a beer. Like it's fine.”

Pegula also took the chance to call out the WTA schedule, echoing complaints from World tennis Number 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Sabalenka was docked world ranking points having failed to play in enough WTA 500 events in 2025, and has said she would do the same again in 2026.

American takes aim at the WTA for hectic schedule

Players have blamed the hectic schedule for the number of high-profile injuries, with Pegula the latest to have taken aim at the calendar.

“Yeah, there’s definitely not a long enough off-season,” Pegula added. “And I think the two-week events have really kind of exacerbated it a little bit because before Slams used to be two weeks, and that was a lot.

“It’s a lot going on, and now we’re going into these big 1000s, and now they’re also two weeks. So you’re going two weeks, two weeks, and then into a slam two weeks. Mentally, it’s it’s really tough.

“You kind of like hit your threshold, and I felt like ‘This is a lot’ because you just, it’s like Groundhog Day.”

Pegula has since withdrawn from the Adelaide WTA 500 due to a thigh injury she suffered in her semi-final loss to Kostyuk.