Consistency has long been Jessica Pegula’s calling card, but former pro Steve Johnson believes that same reliability may be the very thing keeping her from joining the sport’s most dominant title winners.
Speaking during a podcast, Johnson argued that while Pegula’s week-in, week-out level is among the best on tour, her lack of a single overpowering weapon separates her from players like Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina when it comes to capturing the biggest trophies.
Jessica Pegula’s High-Level 2026 Season Performance
Pegula’s 2026 campaign has only reinforced her reputation as one of the tour’s most dependable stars. She opened the season with a semifinal run in Brisbane and followed it with a deep charge at the Australian Open, where she defeated names like Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova before falling to Rybakina in a tightly contested semifinal.
Her biggest statement came in Dubai, where she lifted the WTA 1000 trophy. Even with a brief setback due to a knee injury that forced her out of Austin, Pegula remained a fixture in the latter stages of major events, reaching the quarterfinals in Indian Wells and Miami, both times running into Rybakina. She then successfully defended her title in Charleston with a dominant final performance against Yuliia Starodubtseva.
Is a Lack of a Defining Weapon Holding Pegula Back?
It was this exact consistency that Johnson highlighted while dissecting her game. Responding to co-host Sam Querrey on the “Nothing Major” podcast, Johnson acknowledged Pegula’s strong results but pointed to a critical gap. “Yeah, hard to argue against that,” he said. “I mean, she made quarters of Indian Wells, Miami, lost to Rybakina in both, and she beats everyone she is supposed to beat because she is so rock solid.”
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He emphasized the predictability of her level, adding, “You know what you’re going to get every single day when Jess steps out there. But I think sometimes for her, that lack of a massive weapon is holding her back from the bigger titles, as we see with Sabalenka or Rybakina, that they can just hit through their opponents when needed. I need to hit an ace to get out of a break point, or I need to play a big five to 10 minutes and hit through my opponent.”
Johnson further explained that even when Pegula gets opportunities against elite opponents, converting them becomes difficult. “It’s tricky because you expect Jess to just go out there, and she’s had looks to kind of beat Rybakina this year. I mean, she’s had chances in those events, but it’s been a struggle for her just to beat those top players because I think she’s lacking that big weapon,” he said.
“She does everything at such a high level, but even on the men’s side, the women’s side, to have that big forehand or that big backhand that can get you out of trouble, that’s necessary.” Still, he was quick to credit her Charleston triumph, calling it “a big week” and praising her ability to handle the pressure as defending champion.
