Jessica Pegula Offers a Sneak Peek Into Her Recovery Routine Ahead of the US Open

Professional tennis player Jessica Pegula is heading into this year’s U.S. Open in her usual form: steady, grounded, and playing some of the most consistent tennis of her career. As one of the top-ranked American women on tour, the 32-year-old Buffalo native has built her game—and her reputation—on durability, training sometimes for weeks without a day off. Pegula says that level of dedication has amped up her performance consistency, but after years in the game, she’s also learned about recovery.Ahead of this year’s U.S. Open (kicking off August 23, with women’s and men’s finals September 12 and 13, respectively), Pegula is returning as the face of Vital Proteins, which is back for a second year as the Official Collagen Partner of the U.S. Open and Presenting Sponsor of the Mixed Doubles Championship as part of a new multi-year partnership. The collaboration centers on a simple idea: Looking, moving, and feeling your best is a competitive advantage, on the court and off. This year, Vital Proteins is raising the stakes around one of the tournament’s most electric moments: the final-set tiebreak. If a Main Draw Singles match reaches a final-set tiebreak from the Quarterfinals-on, Vital Proteins will give away a plethora of prizes, including two grand prizes: a trip for two to the 2027 U.S. Open Finals with private helicopter transport, flights, hotel, and spending money; and a $15,000 wellness investment. Fans can enter starting August 17 on Vital Protein’s website, with entries open through September 13 or until the first tiebreak of the tournament, whichever comes first. Ahead, The Healthy caught up with Pegula to talk about recovery, burnout, her non-negotiable self-care habits, and why collagen has grown into an important part of her daily routine. Get more celebrity health and self-care tips and by subscribing to The Healthy’s newsletter. The U.S. Open is one of the most exciting times of the year for tennis fans. You also partnered with Vital Proteins, who produce collagen powders, around the French Open at Roland Garros. Collagen is regarded for so many benefits. When you first started taking it, what were you hoping to get out of it? Jessica Pegula: For me, especially as I’ve gotten a bit older, everyone is so keen on recovery and taking care of their bodies now, and our schedule has gotten longer. It was about finding something that helps me day to day so I don’t get worn out and worn down. Now that I’m getting older, my joints are a little stiffer, and you have to do more to recover well. You can feel good one week and then have another week you have to play, and now there are a lot of two-week events, so it’s hard to feel good every single day. Vital Proteins has made a big difference in my day-to-day recovery. Sometimes your body just needs that extra support through a really long schedule. The Healthy: There are so many ways to prepare collagen. How do you take yours? Jessica Pegula: It depends on where I am. At home, I put it in a lot of smoothies, especially in Florida, where it’s so hot I don’t always feel like eating a big meal but still want to get something in quickly. On the road, it’s more about convenience—mixed with coffee or just water. I’m a big coffee drinker, so I’ll blend it into my coffee with a little handheld frother. At home I get a bit more creative with it; on the road it’s simple, whatever I have access to, whether that’s water or electrolytes. The Healthy: What’s a physical feat you’ve done recently that would have shocked your 20-year-old self? Jessica Pegula: Honestly, I’m known on tour now for being very consistent, and at 20 that was the opposite of who I was. If I had a string of tournaments—say three or four in a row, since we usually play week to week—I wouldn’t really get going until the third week. I tended to do well once I had a lot of matches under me, and then I’d crash. Now people who knew me back then find it funny. Even other players ask if I ever get tired, because I’m so used to grinding through weeks and getting wins no matter what. That’s a total 180 from who I was. I never thought I’d beat that version of myself—back then it was just hoping for a good week and struggling to back up matches. Mentality-wise, I think I’m the complete opposite of who I was at 20. The Healthy: Who is someone in your life who tells you that you’re burning out before you’re able to see it yourself? Jessica Pegula: I don’t think I really noticed it until I started working with my two coaches. They would tell me, ‘You need to take care of yourself more’ and things like that.

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