Jessica Pegula has enjoyed a strong start to her 2025 WTA Tour campaign, winning two titles.
The world number three recently won her second title of the season in South Carolina, as Pegula beat Sofia Kenin in the final of the Charleston Open.
Pegula had already won in Texas earlier this year and joins three players (Aryna Sabalenka, Madison Keys, and Mirra Andreeva) in winning multiple titles in 2025.
The 31-year-old is now preparing to compete at the Stuttgart Open WTA 500 event in a stacked field.
Speaking in her pre-tournament press conference, Pegula admitted where she still trails some of the biggest names in women’s tennis.
Jessica Pegula says she hasn’t won the ‘biggest titles’ in tennis but Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka have
Pegula is set to take on either Sara Errani or Magdalena Frech in her opening match in Stuttgart, but first took the time to share her thoughts on how she compares to two of her biggest rivals.
“Very thankful that I’ve been able to be a top player for a few years now,” she said.
“Even though I might not have the biggest titles all the time, maybe compared to Aryna [Sabalenka], Iga [Swiatek], someone like that, I feel like consistency is a strength that I have.
“Even though it’s not winning a slam yet, I’m happy that I’m able to come in week after week and put up good results.
“I think that is kind of a strength in itself in a different way. So I’m very proud of that, yeah.”
Pegula also explained what she was fearful of when making her breakthrough on the WTA Tour.
“I always believed in my game, but I was always scared,” she said.
“I never wanted to have a big result and not be able to have consistent results.
“I remember [after] the first time I made quarters of a Slam, I went to Doha, and I was in qualies. I was like, I don’t want to be that player that makes quarterfinals and then has kind of a breakout at your slam, then loses in qualifying.
“It’s really hard when you have to back up results week after week, to feel like a top player.”
The American surprised herself by cementing her place in the top ten, consistently picking up big wins on the WTA Tour.
“I surprised myself with how well I adjusted because honestly since then, I’ve been a top player. I did not think it was going to happen,” said Pegula.
“I thought even after the first year of doing well, I thought I’d have like a sophomore slump a little bit, not put up results.
“I’ve kind of surprised myself. I don’t know. I guess I’m lucky in that aspect, where I’ve been a top player for what seems like a while now.
“Even being able to make the jump into the top five, make the jump going deeper in a slam just last year, winning [WTA] 1000s.
“You always think you can, but I never thought I’d be able to do it consistently.
“How I’ve been able to do it, I really don’t know. Maybe I’m pretty relaxed. Maybe it’s my mindset. It just kind of happened naturally.”
Comparing Jessica Pegula, Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Swiatek’s career achievements
Pegula admits she hasn’t had the same success at the ‘big’ tournaments as Sabalenka and Swiatek, but how do the world’s top three players stack up?
| Player | Grand Slam titles | WTA 1000 titles | Total titles | Career high ranking/Weeks at number one |
| Iga Swiatek | 5 | 10 | 22 | 1 (125 weeks) |
| Aryna Sabalenka | 3 | 8 | 19 | 1 (34 weeks*) |
| Jessica Pegula | 0 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
Swiatek leads the way with five Major titles, spending an impressive 125 weeks ranked number one in the world during her career to date.
The American has yet to win a Grand Slam title but came close in 2024, when Pegula lost to Sabalenka in the US Open final.
It remains to be seen if she can clinch her first Major crown in 2025, but she’ll first set her sights on a ninth WTA Tour title in Stuttgart.
Pegula will play either Errani or Frech in the second round of the Stuttgart Open on Thursday, April 17.
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