British tennis star Jack Draper found himself gently reprimanded by his mixed doubles partner Jessica Pegula during a press conference at the US Open after referring to their tournament as "an exhibition".
The 23-year-old made the comment whilst discussing the significance of potentially winning the title, saying: "Yeah, it would mean a lot. Obviously it is like a bit of an exhibition format. It's nice to play with someone."
Pegula immediately interjected with a playful correction. "You shouldn't be saying that," she said, prompting a bemused response from Draper who asked: "What? What did I say?"
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Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula remain on course for US Open glory | REUTERSThe British-American pairing have enjoyed remarkable success in the revamped tournament, securing their semi-final spot with commanding victories.
They dispatched Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz 4-2, 4-2 in their opening encounter before dominating Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva 4-1, 4-1 in the quarter-finals.
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The top-seeded duo are now competing for a substantial £741,000 winner's cheque in the new-format competition, which features shortened sets and a mix of wildcards and pairs qualified through combined rankings.
Their next challenge comes against Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with a place in the final at stake.
The exchange continued as Draper attempted to justify his remarks, insisting: "I'm hearing that a lot, it's a bit of an exhibition, a bit of fun, why am I so locked in.
"It's a good opportunity to play, do well, get a lot of points in before next week, yeah. Like, I'm enjoying being locked in. I don't know why it's a crime to be locked in."
Pegula maintained her lighthearted stance throughout the discussion. "No, it's fine. I'm just laughing at the 'exhibition' part," she responded.
The British number one appeared determined to defend his competitive approach despite his initial characterisation of the event.
The American world number four subsequently acknowledged she understood Draper's perspective whilst addressing reporters separately.
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Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper are the dynamic duo we didn't know we needed 😂
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"I understand what he was saying, I was just kind of giving him s***," Pegula admitted.
"Yeah, it has somewhat the feeling it's an exho. It's not called that. But I don't really know. What are the terms?"
The 30-year-old had previously expressed frustration about the tournament's new format, criticising organisers for implementing changes without consulting players beforehand.
Despite the playful disagreement over terminology, the partnership has proven highly effective on court as they pursue the substantial prize money on offer.
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