WATCH: “A class act always”- Jessica Pegula checks up on Anna Kalinskaya’s coach after winning Berlin Open, fans react

Kalinskaya’s coach Patricia Tarabini has won two ITF titles in her singles career and 15 WTA and 6 ITF in her doubles career.

WATCH: “A class act always”- Jessica Pegula checks up on Anna Kalinskaya’s coach after winning Berlin Open, fans react

Jessica Pegula checking up on Anna Kalinskaya's coach won fans' hearts (Images via Imago, X)

Jessica Pegula beat Anna Kalinskaya at the Berlin Open to lift her first title on grass on Sunday (June 23). But to beat the Russian player, Pegula had to save five championship points. After the match, a clip of Pegula shaking hands with Kalinskaya’s coach Patricia Tarabini won the hearts of the tennis fans. 

Pegula missed the European clay-court swing due to her rib injury. In the semifinal, she beat Coco Gauff 7-5, 7-6(2), which was also Pegula’s first Top 10 win of the year. After that, a confident Pegula upset Kalinskaya with a scoreline of 6-7(0-7), 6-4, 7-6(7-3) to win her fifth title on the WTA Tour and her first title since her win in the 2023 Korea Open.

YouTube video
I knew I could play well on this surface and giving myself a couple of extra weeks on grass clearly paid off. I played some perfect tennis this week and I feel like I beat some perfect girls, especially on grass. To be able to gut out a win like that is cool.
Jessica Pegula said after the match 

After Pegula won the match, she ran toward Tarabini, who sat in the box and who at first had no idea Pegula was standing in front of her. When Pegula shouted her name, the Argentine coach looked down and shook hands with Pegula. 

FS Video

Watch the video here:

Tarabini is a former tennis player, who turned pro in 1986 and retired in 2006 after a win-loss record of 147–143 in singles. She joined hands with the Russian player as her coach in 2019. 

Fans react to Jessica Pegula’s gesture towards Anna Kalinskaya’s coach Patricia Tarabini 

On X when WTA’s handle posted the video, fans started praising Jessica Pegula for her “class act“. A fan wrote how Pegula’s gesture shows how much respect players have for Patricia Tarabini. 

Jessica Pegula
Jessica Pegula (Image via Imago)

Check out their reactions here:

Tarabini has won two ITF titles in her singles career and 15 WTA and 6 ITF in her doubles career. The 55-year-old, who was ranked No. 29 in singles in August 1998, also won a bronze medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics in doubles. Another notable achievement is her win at the 1996 Roland Garros with her mixed doubles partner and compatriot Javier Frana. 

Before arriving at Wimbledon, Pegula will be playing at the Eastbourne International, the main draw of which starts on Monday (June 24). Wimbledon gets underway on July 1. 

In case you missed!