Jessica Pegula has established herself as one of the most consistent players on the WTA Tour, a rise that began in her late twenties. A late bloomer in the sport, she has since captured multiple tour-level titles and reached a career-high ranking among the world’s elite.
Her first WTA title came in 2019 at the Citi Open in Washington D.C., the same event where she now returns as the highest-ranked player. Reflecting on that breakthrough during a pre-tournament press conference, Pegula spoke about its significance for her career.
“For me, getting that monkey off my back, being able to do it at a tour level for the first time, was great,” she told reporters. “That was such a big mountain for me to climb at the time, and now I’m sitting here and I have won… doubles titles, as well. It’s kind of funny how things can seem far away, but once you do them it becomes easier, it’s less of a mountain to get over.”
To secure that 2019 title, an unseeded Pegula won five matches. Her campaign included a victory over Kateřina Siniaková and a notable second-round win against a then 18-year-old Iga Świątek. She went on to defeat compatriot Lauren Davis and Anna Kalinskaya to set up a final against Camila Giorgi, whom she beat to lift the trophy.
As she begins her quest for a second title in Washington, Pegula is set to face Leylah Fernandez in her opening match.
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