Jessica Pegula’s pursuit of a maiden Grand Slam title came to an end in the semifinals of the Australian Open after losing to fifth seed Elena Rybakina.
The American fell in straight sets to Rybakina, with the Kazakh star setting up a WTA Finals rematch with Aryna Sabalenka in the championship match.
Pegula, now 31 years of age, has made deep runs at majors in recent years, having made the final of the US Open in 2024 and the semifinals at Flushing Meadows in 2025.
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She came up short in those two matches, however, losing to Sabalenka on both occasions.
After the defeat to Rybakina, former Grand Slam doubles champion CoCo Vandeweghe pinpointed exactly what is holding her back from emerging victorious on the biggest stages.
CoCo Vandeweghe reacts to Jessica Pegula’s loss in Melbourne
Speaking on TNT, Vandeweghe said: “I think for Jess Pegula that is kind of her kryptonite when she does get out there and play these big matches. She doesn’t rise to the occasion and bring that level and continue to stay there.
“She got down in that first set and immediately went down into just moping around court and already starting to go to her box to be like what do I do now.
“It’s only one break and it’s so early that you can’t really get too down on yourself, because you know the other person on the other side whether it’s Rybakina or her coaching team is going to start seeing you like that.
“Jess needs to figure that out if she is going to be successful of that next stage of being at a final or potentially win a Grand Slam, because the times are going to get fewer and fewer as she is one of the older women in the draw and at the top of the game.
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“She has even talked about it herself, so how many more opportunities are you willing to slip by?
“There is a technical limitation that she isn’t going to have the same power that Sabalenka or Rybakina has, but she has the movement and is able to hit the corners, that she has improved.
“But if you are mentally already walking out on the court down a break because you feel like you don’t belong, that to me is the biggest problem Jessica faces when she gets to these stages in quarter finals and semi finals.”
Elena Rybakina now leads the head-to-head with Jessica Pegula
With her triumph, Rybakina has now taken a 4-3 lead in the WTA head-to-head with Pegula.
Rybakina has won her last two matches against Pegula, having beaten the US star in the semifinals of the WTA Finals last season.
Prior to the meeting at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Pegula edged in front in the rivalry by coming out on top in their bout at the 2023 edition of the year-end tournament.
Rybakina has a losing record against her final opponent, Sabalenka, with the Belarusian leading 8-6 at tour-level events.
The former Wimbledon champion defeated Sabalenka in their last matchup, which came in the 2025 WTA Finals title bout.
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