Jessica Pegula, the daughter of the Buffalo Bills’ owners, has spoken about how Damar Hamlin’s remarkable recovery from a cardiac arrest has influenced her performances at the Australian Open.
Pegula, who advanced to the last 16 with a straight-sets win over Marta Kostyuk, will face either Victoria Azarenka or Zhu Lin in the quarterfinals.
Hamlin’s swift recovery has been a source of inspiration for Pegula. “He’s recovered so quickly and so fast that it’s just taken a lot of weight off of the teams, the players, the sport, other players,” Pegula said. She has honored Hamlin by wearing his number three on her shorts during the tournament and has been in touch with him since his collapse.
Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, was released from the hospital after over a week but still requires ongoing medical care, including oxygen and heart monitoring, according to his friend and business partner Jordon Rooney.
Pegula, who has never reached the semifinals at the Australian Open, has found a new perspective through Hamlin’s experience. “Definitely some part of it has inspired me a lot,” she said. “It’s cool. He’s written me a few times as well after I’ve won here. It’s just amazing. I think it just shows you that people’s lives are at stake.”
She emphasized that the situation has reminded her of the broader context beyond sports. “It’s so much bigger than sport,” Pegula noted. “Sometimes we lose sight of that. Sometimes it’s not a tennis match. At the same time that can help you kind of play free and not get so stressed, I think. I definitely have carried some of it with me, for sure.”