Jackson shows she's NFL-tough
Clearly, she inherited some toughness from her father. Ernest Jackson played cornerback at Duke and in the NFL during the 1970s for the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions.
"Most of all, he really understood what I was going through with my tennis when no one else did," Jackson said. "Even though it was a different sport, he knew what I had to do to achieve what I wanted to and was always very supportive."
Peschke, a native of the Czech Republic who has been playing some of her best tennis since turning 30 last July, is No. 36 in the WTA Tour rankings.
But the crowd got behind the teen with the red hair-dye and lime green shirt as she whacked passing shots, adjusted her visor and unleashed two-handed backhands into the corners.
"A very pro-American crowd, which we love to see," Jackson said. "It was great. At the end of the first set I was really losing momentum and they helped me pick it up again. It was awesome."
Peschke was married in 2003 (her maiden name is Hrdlickova). Jackson is single.
Peschke has won $1.3 million on tour, Jackson $225,363.
Peschke has enjoyed success in Charleston, having teamed with Iveta Benesova to reach the doubles final at the 2005 Family Circle Cup (losing to Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez).
Jackson lost in the first round last April in her only other Family Circle Cup singles match.
Tuesday was a marathon for Jackson, and green clay isn't her favorite surface. After the singles victory, she teamed with Shenay Perry in a three-set doubles loss to Ukrainian sisters Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko.
But this tennis star appears on the rise. Coming into the Family Circle Cup, Jackson was perhaps best known as the very first player to use the sport's new instant replay technology, unsuccessfully challenging a shot in a match against fellow American Ashley Harkleroad earlier this month in Miami.
"Maybe I'll be in Trivial Pursuit or on 'Jeopardy' someday," she said. "I definitely didn't think it would be such a big deal. I really didn't want to be first. But I thought it was amazing and I think it will be good for tennis."
Now Jackson is a win over Croatia's Karolina Sprem away from a round of 16 match against Family Circle Cup defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne, and a chance to take the future of American tennis into the spotlight.
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