Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin received special recognition at the australian open this week of the American tennis player Jessica Pegula, daughter of the owners of the Bills team, Terry and Kim Pegula.
Pegula, the No. 3 player on the WTA Tour, is competing in this year’s Grand Slam tournament with Hamlin’s No. 3 stitched on her outfit in support of the sophomore safety.
Hamlin collapsed on the field during the Bills Game of Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals after going into cardiac arrest.
Jessica Pegula of the United States celebrates during Round 2 of the 2023 Australian Open on January 18, 2023, at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia.
(Jason Heidrich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
«I’m just trying to show some support and bring Australia and Buffalo, New York together, which is very strange, but it brings the two worlds together,» she said on court with a smile after her second-round win over Aliaksandra. . Sasnovich Tuesday.
DAMAR HAMLIN SUPPORTING BILLS FROM HOME AS THE TEAM TAKES ON THE DOLPHINS IN THE PLAYOFFS
«He’s made an amazing recovery, so it’s been amazing to see him.»
Hamlin spent a week in the intensive care unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center before doctors transferred him to western New York, where they continued to evaluate him before finally being released.
«I thought it would be cool to wear my outfit here. I thought it would be a fun way to connect with the team and then show my support,» Pegula added Wednesday. «I felt like it was a world event.»
The scoreboard displays a message of support for Damar Hamlin during a game between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 8, 2023 in Orchard Park, NY.
(Timothy T. Ludwig/Getty Images)
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He noted that some on social media thought the number 3 might have represented his current ranking.
«I saw someone tweet that, ‘Why would you put your ranking on your skirt?’ I’m like, ‘No, it’s not because of that,'» Pegula said with a smile.
After her first round win over Jaqueline Cristian, she also wrote Hamlin’s name on a camera lens.
«Go Bills,» he wrote using Hamlin’s number.
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Jessica Pegula signature on the camera lens.
(Frank Molter/Image Alliance via Getty Images)
Pegula, 28, advanced to the third round of the australian open, where she will face the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk. Pegula said she watched the Bills win over the Miami Dolphins in the wild card round before playing her first game. Buffalo will next host the Bengals on Sunday in the divisional round.
Associated Press contributed to this report.