'I feel like it's so mentally draining' - Jessica Pegula gets candid on living out of hotels during the grueling WTA season

The life of a professional athlete involves a lot of sacrifice, and competing on the WTA Tour is challenging enough. However, an aspect that is rarely talked about is having to spend close to a year living in tournament hotels, and this could have a negative impact on a player's mindset, according to tennis star Jessica Pegula.

The American is currently competing at the 2025 Bad Homburg Open, where she is the top seed. Pegula defeated Czech player Katerina Siniakova in the opening round, and is slated to face compatriot Emma Navarro in the quarterfinals.

A hotel could make or break your tournament, says Pegula

The World No.3 took some time to discuss how tournament accommodations could affect a player's performance, as most tennis stars split their time between play and practice on courts or recuperating in their hotels.

"We’re either on the court, or we’re in the hotel room," revealed Pegula. "It’s such a big part of our lives, and as I’ve gotten older, a good hotel has become more of a priority. When you’re 20 and you’re just starting to travel, you’re not complaining that much: you’re more out there grinding and embracing life on tour. Once you hit 30 and kind of need a better pillow, that stuff honestly becomes really important!
"When you’re staying at a tournament hotel, I feel like it’s so mentally draining. It’s not like anyone is a problem. But if you were going to work with someone, you wouldn’t necessarily want to eat breakfast with them, practice with them, be in the gym, have lunch, go to the locker room and the physio room with them, and then see them in all the elevators and the hallways.
"I don’t think people realize that shouldn’t happen, not with the people you’re working and competing with every single week. We play pretty much every week together, and so, all of that together, you’re ready to lose it!"

The Buffalo native would state how staying at a good hotel could relieve some of the stress faced during a tournament, highlighting the difference in food and sleep at a nicer facility.

“There is no better motivation than having a nice hotel,” added Pegula, who stayed close to the Champs-Élysées during Roland Garros. “You’re in a better mood. You sleep better, you wake up better, you’re eating better. Everything. I’m not saying you’re going to win every single match, but when you go out on court and do everything you need to do, I think having a nice accommodation, a nice stay definitely makes everything easier."