“She’s having an incredible career but you know she took it upon herself that she wanted to see exactly where she could get to, her peak,” reflected Mark Knowles, one of Jessica Pegula ’s coaches over the past two seasons. And indeed, Pegula’s journey this year has struck like a drumbeat: stunning, relentless, unforgettable. She’s etched her name into history with back-to-back US Open semifinals and by standing tall as only the third American ever to reach the China Open semifinals. Yet even as she blazes in peak form, one quirky stat from Beijing had her laughing, a playful counterpoint to her headline comeback against fellow American Emma Navarro .

Right after her victory over Emma Navarro, the numbers game made its own entrance. Opta Ace’s X handle tossed a striking stat into the

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