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There were bizarre scenes at the Wuhan Open on Wednesday, as a fan rushed over to get an autograph from Jessica Pegula in the middle of her clash with Jelena Ostapenko. The No. 2 seed led Ostapenko by a set and a break when the Latvian called the physio and received a three-minute medical timeout. And Pegula used the interruption to speak to her coach, who was sitting courtside. But one spectator thought it was an opportunity to approach the American.
Pegula had raced through the opening set and then saved a break point early in the second before breaking to lead 3-2. Ostapenko then called the physio during the changeover, pointing to her arm, and was allowed a three-minute medical timeout to have it strapped up.
During an opponent’s toilet break or medical timeout, a player is able to go over to their box and speak to their coach during the delay, and the No. 2 seed took the opportunity to do just that. But what she couldn’t anticipate was that one fan would also try to seize that opportunity to get an autograph.
“It does mean that Pegula can go and have a chat with her coach. I think this is probably more to keep herself occupied,” Naomi Cavaday told viewers, just as one fan ran to the front of the stands clutching a permanent marker and a hat she wanted signed.
The American waved them off, indicating that she was in the middle of the match – and a discussion with her coach – and couldn’t sign anything in that moment. “Certainly not signing an autograph!” co-commentator Colin Fleming explained.
“I mean, that is an audacious attempt there, isn’t it? Mid-match. Trying to pounce, but have to wait.” While he wasn’t impressed with the spectator’s attempt to get Pegula to sign her hat, he did like the coach’s guidance. Fleming added: “Good advice from the coach there. Variety on the second serve, forehand body if possible. Couldn’t agree more.”
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Pegula headed back to her bench and then to the baseline as the physio finished bandaging up Ostapenko’s arm. And the medical timeout helped the 2017 French Open champion, who immediately broke to level the score at 3-3. But the match turned into a rollercoaster, and both women kept breaking each other.
The American blew three match points in the second-set tiebreak. The match was on her racket when she let 6-4 in the breaker and had an easy volley to claim victory, but she dumped the ball in the net. And Ostapenko went on to pull off a sensational comeback, winning 2-6 7-6(7) 6-3.
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