Jessica Pegula is all set to kick off her clay-court season at the 2026 Charleston Open, arriving at the tournament as both the defending champion and the top seed. She produced a stellar campaign at the WTA 500 event last year, beating the likes of Ajla Tomljanović, Danielle Collins, and Sofia Kenin to get her hands on the trophy. Ahead of her opening match, the American opened up about the mixed feelings that came with defending her crown.
Jessica Pegula Opens Up About Her Charleston Open Title Defense
Speaking to the press at the Charleston Open, Jessica Pegula said it was both an honor and a privilege to be back as the defending champion at the event. However, she acknowledged that the role brings added pressure, highlighting the need to balance her joy with the weight of expectations.
“I think it’s an honor, it’s a privilege to come back as a defending champion. Not many people get to do that. At the same time, it’s like, ‘Oh, I have to win it again, or someone else is going to be the champion!’ I think it’s a balance of being happy to be back, but there’s maybe a little bit more pressure. You can look at the positive or negative sides,” Pegula said.
The World No. 5 added that she was trying not to dwell on the pressure, since she understood the need to approach every tournament with a fresh mindset.
“I try not to think about it too much. I think as players, we’re always aware that every week is a new week, a new winner. You can’t expect to win every single week. You just look at it as a new tournament, a new day, a new match,” she added.
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The American has arrived in Charleston on the back of quarterfinal finishes at Indian Wells and the Miami Open. Building on this momentum, she will look to make a deeper run at the WTA 500 event as she hunts for her second title of the season, having already triumphed at the Dubai Tennis Championships in February.
Jessica Pegula will lock horns with Yulia Putintseva in her opening match, following the Kazakh’s 7-6(6), 6-2 win over Lulu Sun. Should the World No. 5 advance, she will meet either Elisabetta Cocciaretto or Yuan Yue in the third round, with a potential quarterfinal clash against Diana Shnaider or Leylah Fernandez on the horizon.
