American tennis star Jessica Pegula is heading into the 2026 US Open with more on her mind than just her serve and forehand. In a new interview with PopSugar, the world-class player discussed the wellness habits that keep her competitive, her devotion to the Buffalo Bills, and her thoughts on Serena Williams' return to the sport, offering fans a glimpse into the personal routines that shape her professional life.
According to PopSugar, Pegula shared that collagen has become part of her regular wellness routine, a detail that speaks to a broader trend among elite athletes who are increasingly turning to supplements aimed at joint health, skin elasticity, and recovery. For a player who spends much of the year traveling between hard courts, clay, and grass, the physical toll of the sport makes recovery rituals just as important as time spent training.
Collagen supplementation has surged in popularity across the wellness industry in recent years, with proponents pointing to potential benefits for connective tissue and post-exercise recovery. While the scientific consensus on its effectiveness remains mixed, its adoption by high-profile athletes like Pegula signals how deeply wellness culture has intertwined with professional sports, where marginal gains in recovery can translate into extended careers and fewer injuries.
Beyond her on-court routines, Pegula also spoke to PopSugar about her passion for football, revealing herself to be an enthusiastic supporter of the Buffalo Bills. For an athlete whose profession demands near-constant international travel and focus on an individual sport, maintaining a connection to a hometown-style team fandom offers a sense of normalcy and community, something many professional athletes cite as important for mental well-being amid grueling schedules.
Pegula's Bills fandom also reflects a broader pattern seen among tennis players, many of whom cultivate outside interests and fan loyalties as a way to decompress from the intense pressure of individual competition. Unlike team sports, tennis offers little in the way of built-in camaraderie during matches, making off-court passions like football fandom a meaningful outlet.
The interview also touched on a topic reverberating throughout the tennis world: the return of Serena Williams. As one of the most decorated and influential players in the sport's history, any indication of Williams stepping back into the spotlight generates significant buzz among players, fans, and commentators alike. Pegula, as a current top competitor, offered her perspective on what that return could mean for the sport heading into the US Open season.
Williams' legacy looms large over American tennis, and her potential involvement, whether through exhibition play, commentary, or another form of participation, carries weight for a new generation of players like Pegula who came of age watching her dominate the sport. Younger athletes on tour have often cited Williams as a formative influence, both for her unmatched competitive record and for the way she reshaped conversations around athleticism, motherhood, and business in professional sports.
For Pegula specifically, the timing of these comments is notable. As she prepares for another run at the US Open, a tournament held on home soil in New York, the mental and physical preparation intensifies. Speaking about her wellness routines, personal interests, and respect for players like Williams paints a picture of an athlete balancing rigorous performance demands with a grounded personal identity.
The US Open remains one of the most high-pressure stops on the tennis calendar, drawing intense media scrutiny and fan attention. Athletes like Pegula are increasingly using media appearances and interviews, such as her conversation with PopSugar, to share more of their personalities and daily habits, helping fans connect with them beyond match statistics and rankings.
As the tournament approaches, all eyes will be on how Pegula performs, but her comments also underscore a larger cultural moment in sports, one where wellness practices, personal fandoms, and reverence for legends like Serena Williams all factor into how modern athletes present themselves to the public. Whether her collagen routine or her Bills allegiance has any bearing on her performance remains to be seen, but the transparency offers fans a fuller picture of the person behind the racket.
With the US Open field taking shape and speculation about Williams' future continuing to swirl, Pegula's remarks add another layer to the ongoing conversation about legacy, wellness, and identity in professional tennis, themes that are likely to remain prominent as the tournament draws closer.