Jessica Pegula wasn’t in the mood for criticism when her quarterfinal clash with Diana Shnaider hit a snag at the 2026 Charleston Open. After losing the first set, the defending champion was already bracing for a drawn-out battle when her coach cut in with a critique of her on-court demeanor, which angered her further. However, Pegula only channeled that irritation into fuel, powering her way to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory despite finding herself a break down in the third set.
How Jessica Pegula’s Frustration Fueled Her Charleston Open Comeback
Mounting a comeback has become an exhausting pattern for Jessica Pegula this week on the green clay in Charleston. After rallying from a set down against Yulia Putintseva and Elisabetta Cocciaretto, the world No. 5 felt the frustration set in when she dropped the opening set for the third consecutive match at the WTA 500 event. That is when her coach, Mark Knowles, offered the tactical jab that altered the trajectory of her quarterfinal clash with Diana Shnaider.
“I was a little frustrated at the end of the first set, you know, like my coach kind of told me, like, ‘Your attitude hasn’t been great,'” Pegula told reporters after the win. “And then I got kind of annoyed, and I was like, well, what do you expect it to be? Like I’ve been competing pretty well this week.”
Pegula admitted the comment “annoyed” her and caused her to start muttering to herself on the baseline in a rare display of emotion.
“I start rambling on to myself like, ‘Are you freaking kidding me? Like seriously?’ I think I’ve been fine,” she said. “It was kind of not great, obviously, once I lost the first set, but it’s hard. I mean, I feel like for me, someone who doesn’t show a ton of emotion, there is times where I do feel like I have to let it out.”
Her coach later claimed the blunt jab was entirely intentional, although the world No. 5 wasn’t convinced. His intention was to snap her out of overthinking by redirecting her anger.
“You know, he claims he kind of did it on purpose,” she added. “I don’t really know if that’s true, but he was like, ‘I did kind of want you to just like almost get mad at me a little bit just to like stop overthinking all the other things that were happening in the match.'”
MORE: Jessica Pegula Admits She Misses ‘Fighting’ with Umpires After Losing Emotional Outlet
Jessica Pegula Explains Her Mindset During Matches
The psychological reset evidently proved effective, allowing Pegula to keep her title defense alive at the event. She explained that actively talking through problems and venting her frustration served as a crucial release during matches.
“So I don’t know, sometimes that happens. But then, you know, I am talking to myself a lot, kind of trying to talk myself through things, trying to let out a little bit of frustration. And for me, it’s always fine as long as I just don’t let it linger on and creep into the points. Sometimes you have to do it just to like snap yourself kind of out of a funk or a mood or whatever it is that you’re in. But for me, it’s just like let it out and then you still have to compete and think your way through this match,” she said.
MORE: Iva Jovic Sets Aside Respect to Target ‘Dangerous’ Jessica Pegula at Charleston Open
Jessica Pegula could be in for another tough battle in the semifinals of the Charleston Open, where she is set to take on rising star Iva Jovic. Jovic claimed a dominant 6-3, 6-4 win over Anna Kalinskaya to set up a meeting with the top seed, eyeing revenge after losing to Pegula in their sole previous encounter at the Dubai Tennis Championships in February.
