(In Pictures) Jessica Pegula Shares Cryptic Text on Controversial Brandin Cooks Interception After Buffalo Bills’ Exit

World No.4 Jessica Pegula's parents, Terry Pegula and Kim Pegula, own the NFL team Buffalo Bills.

(In Pictures) Jessica Pegula Shares Cryptic Text on Controversial Brandin Cooks Interception After Buffalo Bills’ Exit

Jessica Pegula made her feelings known about the controversial Brandin Cooks interception (Image via X/Jimmy48Photography, Stu Padasso)

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Jessica Pegula started her Australian Open campaign in strong fashion. Playing in her second tournament of the season, Pegula went past Anastasia Zakharova 6-2, 6-1 on Monday (January 19) to book a spot in the second round.

Right after the match, she wrote a cryptic message on the camera lens about the controversial interception during the Buffalo Bills-Denver Broncos NFL Divisional playoffs game on Saturday (January 17). Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw the ball, and Brandin Cooks was able to catch it, only for it to be snatched away for an interception by Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian. The Bills eventually lost 33-30 in overtime.

While catching, Cooks’ knees appeared to have touched the ground, referee Carl Cheffers said the ball was awarded to the Broncos because, although Cooks had possession of the ball, he lost it when he hit the ground, and thus couldn’t complete the process of the catch.

This definitely sparked controversy, and Pegula, whose billionaire parents Terry Pegula and Kim Pegula own the Bills, was greatly disappointed after the team’s exit from the NFL postseason. She made her frustrations clear by writing this on the camera lens: “That was a catch.”

Here’s the picture:

The sixth seed will next be meeting McCartney Kessler on Wednesday (January 21). Pegula holds a 1-0 head-to-head record over her compatriot, defeating her in the final of last year’s ATX Open. Before scheduling the match against the 2024 US Open finalist, the 26-year-old knocked out Colombia’s Emiliana Arango in straight sets.

Jessica Pegula on her rivalry with Aryna Sabalenka

Jessica Pegula holds a 3-9 head-to-head record over Aryna Sabalenka and has won just one match in their last six meetings (in last year’s Wuhan Open semifinals). Ahead of her first-round match, the American ace talked about her rivalry with the World No.1 at the pre-tournament press conference.

Aryna Sabalenka (5)
Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/HQ Pics)

Yeah, I think we’ve had — obviously, she has beaten me more times, but I think we tend to bring out some really good tennis in each other. You know, matchups like that just happen. It happens to be for me and Sabalenka, we tend to have some pretty crazy matches. Really high level, I have always thought.

Jessica Pegula said

The Belarusian is competing for her third Australian Open title, having won it in 2023 by defeating Elena Rybakina and defending it the following year against Qinwen Zheng. Sabalenka made the final last year as well, but Madison Keys crushed her three-peat dream.

Even though it is frustrating sometimes, [that] I am not getting as many wins as I feel like I could be. I mean, she is the best player in the world for a reason and sustained that for quite a bit now, as you said. It is fun. She challenges me. You know, [it] pushes me to figure out how to become better. I think at the end of the day, that’s kind of what I try to take away from some of the tough matches.

Jessica Pegula added

Sabalenka went past Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah in the first round to schedule her next match against Zhuoxuan Bai. The four-time Grand Slam singles champion, who finished the 2025 season with four titles from nine finals, has already added one title to her trophy cabinet this year, defending her Brisbane International crown by defeating Marta Kostyuk.

Pegula also played in Brisbane, but her run ended in the semifinals with a straight-set defeat to Kostyuk. She will be aiming to reach the semifinals in Melbourne for the first time, having played the quarterfinals thrice in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Last year, the 31-year-old crashed out in the third round.

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