Jessica Pegula’s quest for a Grand Slam title will continue past 2026, but she still enjoyed a very successful season this year.
Pegula added another Masters title to her collection at the Dubai Tennis Championships at the beginning of the year and she followed it up by winning the Charleston Open for the second year in a row.
The American also reached a further three finals in Berlin, Washington, and Cincinnati, although she was less successful in those efforts.
Overall, however, Pegula is very happy with how her season played out and she has opened up about the aspect she is most proud of throughout 2026.
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Speaking to the WTA Tour, Pegula said: “I was really happy with my overall level throughout the year, and when I did have any sort of dips, I was able to bounce back really strong,” Pegula said.
“You’re gonna have some bad losses and some bad swings sometimes, but it’s always about how you can bounce back and not let that affect you.
“I did that really well at certain points during the year where maybe I felt like I wasn’t playing great or I lost a tough match, I was able to kind of go and have a pretty good result pretty soon after, and I think that’s one of my strengths.”
Pegula might not have claimed a Grand Slam title in 2026, but she continued to be incredibly consistent at the four majors tournaments this season.
She reached two semifinals at Grand Slam level, at the Australian Open and the US Open this year. She was beaten by eventual winner Elena Rybakina in Melbourne, while her home Grand Slam was ended by Aryna Sabalenka.
She also reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon for just the second time in her career, but she was beaten in three sets by compatriot Coco Gauff.
It was only at Roland Garros where she faltered, as she was beaten in the first round of the clay court Grand Slam by Kimberly Birrell, although she did come into the tournament with an injury.
Pegula is edging ever closer to securing the first Grand Slam title of her career, although she will need to step it up next season. At 32 years old, it is unclear how much longer the American will be able to truly challenge at the upper echelons of the WTA Tour.
The American’s best effort at Grand Slam level came at the US Open in 2024, where she reached the final. She was beaten in straight sets by Sabalenka.
