Jessica Pegula Warns: Danielle Collins ‘Going to Want to Kill Me’ After Charleston Interview Slip
Jessica Pegula playfully scolded a court-side interviewer at the Charleston Open after her win over Ajla Tomljanovic on Thursday, teasing that his comments might land her in hot water with her next opponent, Danielle Collins.
The World No. 4, who has had a strong start to the 2025 season, secured her place in the quarter-finals with a dominant 6-3, 6-2 win. Pegula, who recently claimed her seventh WTA title at the ATX Open and reached the Miami Open final, is aiming to continue her momentum in Charleston.
But during the on-court interview following her latest win, the tone quickly turned light-hearted when the interviewer pointed out Pegula’s perfect 5–0 record against Collins. Pegula laughed and responded, “Why would you say that? I hope I win, or it’s your fault.”
When the interviewer added that Collins had only taken one set off her in those matches, Pegula jokingly protested, “Seriously, you can’t just throw that out there. Haven’t you seen Danielle? She’s feisty. Now she’s going to be mad at you—and she’s going to want to kill me.”
The exchange drew laughter from the crowd, with the interviewer adding, “Well hold on a minute, now you’re being feisty,” before joking that it might be his last day on the job.
Pegula has been climbing steadily in the WTA rankings, finishing 2024 with a US Open final appearance and a place at the WTA Finals. Now ranked No. 4 in the world, she’s looking to capture her first Grand Slam title at the upcoming French Open.
Danielle Collins, currently ranked No. 22, has four career WTA titles and was an Australian Open finalist in 2022. However, she hasn’t advanced past the fourth round in her last 12 Grand Slam appearances.
As both players prepare for their highly anticipated quarter-final clash, Pegula’s light-hearted jab has only added to the excitement.
