NEW YORK (AP) — This is supposed to be Jessica Pegula's favorite part of the season. She says so herself.

And why wouldn't it be?

Pegula gets to stay in North America. She gets to compete in front of friendly and supportive crowds. She gets to play on hard courts, her preferred surface. She gets to point toward success at the U.S. Open , which starts Sunday, and which she's always loved for all of the above reasons.

Plus, now she can declare that it was the site of her best Grand Slam performance — a run to the final a year ago .

And yet? Well, things have not quite gone according to plan lately for Pegula, a 31-year-old who was born in New York and is based in Florida. She is seeded No. 4 at Flushing Meadows; that's the good news. Less good? Pegula goes into the U.S. Open having l

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