RIVER FOREST, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 15, 2023--

Tennis star Jessica Pegula has responded to the now viral gaffe at the Canadian Open which saw the song 'Cotton Eye Joe' play during a crucial point in her game against Iga Swiatek. The American upset the world number one in three sets to reach the final however there was only one moment that tennis fans were talking about after the contest. During a tie-break in the second set, Swiatek was serving at 3-4 when inexplicably the 1995 school disco classic 'Cotton Eye Joe' by Rednex started to play over the tannoys. The moment shocked those in attendance in Montreal and play was briefly paused. Speaking at the post-match press conference 29-year-old Pegula said that the she thought the moment was "funny" adding: "I've never had that happen, let alone with ‘Cotton-Eyed Joe.’ I was, like, ‘Is this really happening right now?’ Of all the songs. It was just, like, what is going on?” However, it wasn't all fun and games as she would go on to lose the tie-break. Even more annoying for her was the fact that the return she played just before Cotton Eye Joe blasted out of the speakers looked to be a good one. She said: "Yeah, it was a bummer because I hit a really good lob, and she barely got it, and I had a really good play on the ball, and she was kind of out of position from the lob that I hit. "So, I mean, I don't know if I would have won the point. Maybe. I would have been up 5-2, but that doesn't mean I'm going to win the tiebreaker. I think the wind started shifting, so I felt like I was really against the wind on that side, the side that that point happened on." Despite the setback Pegula still managed to defeat her Polish opponent and will now play either Elena Rybakina or Liudmila Samsonova in the final. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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Declan Rice’s ambition to play “at the very highest level” was behind his “tough” decision to leave West Ham. The 24-year-old’s departure from the club he joined a decade ago in a club-record £105million deal – making him the most expensive English player in history – was confirmed by the Hammers ahead of his imminent move to Arsenal. Rice’s last act as a West Ham player was to become only the third captain in their history, behind Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds, to lift a major trophy after last month’s Europa Conference League victory over Fiorentina. But the England international wants to play in the Champions League and that is something Arsenal can offer. In a letter to fans, Rice said his goodbyes after “an absolute whirlwind of emotion” over the last few weeks. “I want you to know how tough a decision it has been for me to leave an environment that I have loved and cherished so much,” he said. “This club and its supporters will always be in my heart, and forever a part of who I am. “Ultimately, though, it has only ever been about my ambition to play at the very highest level of the game. “Playing on the opposite team to West Ham for the first time will be an unusual experience. “I’m not sure yet exactly how I will feel, but I also know you will all understand and respect that my professional loyalties have to now lie with my new club.” Joint-chairman David Sullivan revealed last month the club had a gentleman’s agreement with Rice to allow him to leave this summer after the player turned down the offer of a highly-lucrative new contract. “I am sorry to see Declan leave us but I believe that everyone at West Ham United should be very proud of the part we have played in his journey from the Academy of Football at Chadwell Heath to becoming the most valuable young player in English football,” he said in a statement. “I would like to make it clear to our supporters that we did not want to sell Declan. We wanted to build our team around him and made a series of improved, long-term contract offers to secure his future. “However, once Declan made it clear that he wished to move on and seek a new challenge, the club felt it would not be right to stand in his way, acting in the best interests of West Ham United.” Rice made 245 appearances for the club, his last helping secure a first trophy since 1980, and manager David Moyes was understandably sad to see him leave. “I’d like to personally thank Declan for everything he has done during his time at West Ham United,” he said. “Obviously it is sad when we say goodbye to someone who has been with us for so long but we must now look forward. “As history shows, no player is ever bigger than the club. “Our entire focus now is on building upon the success we enjoyed last season, adding to our talented Europa Conference League title-winning squad as we enter our third consecutive season in Europe, and continuing to develop the best young talent through our successful academy.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Declan Rice leaves West Ham for record fee with Arsenal move imminent Alex Greenwood happy with ‘humble’ England’s chances at Women’s World Cup Ireland’s Niamh Fahey says nothing can truly prepare team for World Cup opener

James Maddison has promised to fill the creative void at Tottenham after he admitted to a sense of inevitability about joining the club. The England international completed a £40million move to Spurs from Leicester in June and will make his debut in Sunday’s Premier League opener away to Brentford. It will mark the start of a new era for Tottenham with a huge sense of mixed emotions amongst the fanbase after Harry Kane’s transfer to Bayern Munich was finalised on Saturday. While Kane’s departure is a bitter pill to swallow, there remains optimism about the attacking brand of football new manager Ange Postecoglou will try to implement and excitement around signings like Maddison. Speaking at a TNT Sports event last week before Kane’s departure, Maddison said: “When I was speaking to my agent about moving clubs and you come to a place where you need to make decisions, where you want to go and what you think fits best, I could actually see myself playing for Spurs. “There’s a little window for me at Tottenham Hotspur, a creative player that they’ve always had, maybe not had in recent years. “I could definitely see myself, when making the decision, playing for Tottenham, in that kit, in that stadium and being the creative player I know I can be. “I’ve always had a strong self belief and I’ll always back myself and my own ability to succeed. It hasn’t failed me so far so I will continue to have that mindset and attitude. I just saw myself playing at Tottenham.” Maddison, 27, had been tracked by Spurs since he was a teenager at Coventry and following spells with Norwich and Leicester, he will finally wear the white of Tottenham. He appears the natural heir to Christian Eriksen, who wore the crown as the team’s chief creator until his departure in 2020. Kane has carried the creative burden alongside his goalscoring exploits in recent seasons under the pragmatic football of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, but his exit on the eve of the season will further put the onus on Maddison. “There was interest that never really fully materialised for whatever reason,” Maddison reflected on Spurs’ past interest. “When I spoke to the chairman (Daniel Levy), he shared with me that he was a fan of mine and had followed my career for a while. That was obviously nice to hear. “Sometimes things don’t always work out and you can’t just like a player and get them, it doesn’t always work like that. It is a little bit more complicated than that, but it was nice to hear and that there had been interest. “You do see sometimes hear rumours and paper talk and stuff, but when it did materialise and I ended up speaking to the manager and chairman, it was a thing I was flattered by and I’m really happy to be at Tottenham.” If Maddison buys into the notion that he fits in at Spurs, he has a similar opinion of new boss Postecoglou, who made the former Leicester playmaker one of his vice-captains on Saturday. Postecoglou will make his Premier League bow at Brentford and while his name does not carry the same weight that Mourinho and Conte did, there seems no doubt fans will quickly get on board if his bold, attacking style can translate into results. Maddison added: “I think that’s why he’s at Tottenham as well because of how he likes to play. “It kind of suits Tottenham and maybe what they lacked a little bit with managers of recent times. The club has obviously had some big name managers and the type of football I imagine Spurs fans want to see has been a little bit lacking. “But the quality is there to be an attacking team. The players are there to do it and the manager made no hesitation on the way he wants to play.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Harry Kane makes debut as Bayern Munich suffer defeat in German Super Cup Late Thomas Ramos penalty earns France victory over battling Scotland Steve Borthwick to ‘wait and see’ on England captain Owen Farrell’s suspension

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