Having previously teamed up on the doubles court, World No6 Jessica Pegula and US compatriot Desirae Krawczyk swapped forehands for fairways as they reunited for a fun evening at Topgolf Dubai ahead of this week’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
The American duo took part in a precision-based challenge at Dubai’s futuristic driving range, combining sport, entertainment, and friendly competition – all set against the emirate’s striking skyline at Emirates Golf Club.
Reflecting on the experience, No4 seed Pegula welcomed the opportunity to switch off for a while ahead of a demanding tournament week: “It was really nice to get away from the tennis court and do something totally different. It was a lot of fun, especially being able to do this with Des. She’s a good friend of mine and always up for fun activities. It was enjoyable, a little competitive, and just a great experience overall. The place is really nice and a lot of fun.”
Pegula, a 2024 US Open finalist, said she was surprised by how good her playing partner was given she had never lifted a club before. “[Desirae] was driving really well – I don’t think she’d ever played golf before, but she was better than a lot of people who play all the time. If she actually practised, she’d be very good – driving like that is hard to do!”
Krawczyk highlighted the balance between preparation and relaxation. “It’s been great,” she said. “Preparation has been going really well. We’ve had a few good days on the courts and I’m feeling ready to go. I love doing fun activities like this, and Topgolf is so much fun. The view is amazing, and it’s really nice to be here with Jess, unwind a little, and enjoy something different before tournaments.”
Krawczyk opened her doubles campaign alongside Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Kichenok by beating Fanny Stollar and Miyu Kato in straight sets to proceed to the Last 16, while Pegula, partnered in doubles this week with Mexican Giuliana Olmos, beat Tereza Mihalikova and Olivia Nicholls.
In singles, Pegula – as one of the tournament’s top eight seeds – received a bye to the second round. This week’s WTA 1000 tournament features 16 of the world’s top 20 women’s players and runs from February 15–21 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. It is followed by the ATP 500 men’s event from February 23–28.
