Jessica Pegula has not played a match yet in 2026, but she has still found a way to stay in the conversation online. While many of her fellow WTA stars have already started their seasons, Pegula has been watching from the sidelines and having some fun with it.
Jessica Pegula Jokes About Still Waiting To Play Her First 2026 Match
The World No. 6 skipped the United Cup this year and chose to begin her season at the Brisbane International instead. Being one of the top seeds, Pegula received a first-round bye, which means she won’t make her 2026 debut until January 7.
Pegula joked about the situation on X, sharing a GIF of Hank Greenspan relaxing on a couch and poking fun at herself for watching and judging everyone else before playing a match this season. She wrote, “Me watching and judging everyone before I’ve yet to play a match in 2026.”
Many top players are already busy on the court. The 31-year-old has not competed in nearly two months. Her last match was at the WTA Finals, where she lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Elena Rybakina.
Although it is a long break, Pegula will hope it helps her recover from fatigue and that she will be ready to build momentum before the Australian Open begins.
Pegula Will Face Some Tough Challenges At the Brisbane International
Pegula will open her 2026 season against Anna Kalinskaya. If she gets through that challenge, the draw will become tougher. In the third round, Pegula is likely to face either Leylah Fernandez or Dayana Yastremska. She leads Fernandez 2-1 in their head-to-head but has lost her only match against Yastremska.
Then she could be meeting Clara Tauson or Liudmila Samsonova in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Pegula could run into Mirra Andreeva or Amanda Anisimova. If Pegula makes it to the final, top seed Aryna Sabalenka could be her opponent, most likely. The two share a strong rivalry, having played 12 times, with Sabalenka leading 9-3.
Away from the court, Pegula has also been part of the build-up to the tournament, taking part in promotional shoots alongside top WTA stars such as Sabalenka, Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, Madison Keys, Mirra Andreeva, and Ekaterina Alexandrova.
The Brisbane International runs from January 2 to 11 and will be a good warm-up event to boost confidence and momentum before the Australian Open begins. The tournament will also provide some valuable ranking points and prize money, as the winner will earn 500 points along with $214,530 in prize money.
