Jessica Pegula has backed Novak Djokovic’s call for more entertainment for fans, saying tennis should become less “stuffy” and “uppity.”
Djokovic said after his third-round win at the Australian Open that tennis needs to be “more fun”.
He suggested even that dancers could be brought on court during breaks to appeal to a new 21st century generation.
World number six Pegula agreed the game needed to jazz things up.
“It’s always kind of been a little bit of a stuffy, uppity kind of sport,” she said after a shock defeat to unseeded Olga Danilovic late on Friday.
“At the end of the day we’re entertainers, and I think it can help the sport having more personality.”
Pegula is no stranger to sporting razzamatazz — her father owns the Buffalo Bills team in the NFL, where a full entertainment package during breaks of play or at half-time is all part of the fan experience.