CNN
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Jessica Pegula, the daughter of the house owners of the Buffalo Payments, confirmed her help for Damar Hamlin throughout her straight units win within the second spherical of the Australian Open.
The world No. 3 wore Hamlin’s quantity three on her shorts throughout her 6-2 7-6(5) victory over Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
“I positively wished to do one thing,” Pegula mentioned after her win when requested about paying tribute to Hamlin.
“We had been form of determining what the Payments and the Sabres had been doing, simply so far as what was the message. I knew they’d in all probability do one thing and what message had been they attempting to ship. It ended up being form of the ‘3’ was the image.”
Hamlin was hospitalized in Cincinnati when his coronary heart all of the sudden stopped after a sort out throughout a sport in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2. The 24-year-old Payments security was discharged after greater than every week in hospital.
“I assumed it will be a enjoyable method to join with the group after which additionally simply present my help. I felt prefer it was a worldwide occasion. Lots of people had been asking me about it even right here,” mentioned Pegula, who was in Sydney when Hamlin collapsed.
She mentioned she watched the Payments’ 34-31 Wild Card spherical win over the Miami Dolphins in Melbourne – the Payments now face the Bengals within the divisional spherical, Buffalo’s opponents on the night time Hamlin collapsed.
Pegula additionally paid tribute to Hamlin after her 6-0 6-1 first spherical win over Jaqueline Cristian by writing “Go Payments #3” on the digital camera lens.
Pegula has had a wonderful begin to the brand new 12 months after ending 2022 at a profession excessive No. 3 on the planet rankings.
She entered the Australian Open off the again of an excellent efficiency on the inaugural United Cup the place she led Group USA to victory. Within the semifinals, she beat world No. 1 Iga Światek 6-2 6-2 who she is on observe to face within the semifinals at Melbourne Park.
In her earlier two appearances on the Australian Open, the 28-year-old has exited on the quarterfinal stage, however this 12 months, she has her sights set larger. When requested about whether or not she may win the competitors, she mentioned: “That’s the plan.”
“Each event you need to take it one match at a time however, on the similar time, you continue to need to have these huge objectives,” she mentioned. “Undoubtedly going so far as potential these few weeks is my essential precedence.”
Pegula will face both wildcard Olivia Gadecki or Marta Kostyuk within the third spherical on Friday.
