“The tank is running a bit low emotionally and physically,” said Jessica Pegula after fighting out a grueling three-setter in the Charleston SF against Ekaterina Alexandrova. However, despite being fatigued, the 31-year-old managed to pull her socks up for the summit clash and secured a dominating victory over Sofia Kenin in the first all-American final at the Charleston Open since 1990. This is Pegula’s first clay-court title, and with this title, she has now overtaken Coco Gauff as the top-ranked American player as well. Her success story in the last few months has been inspiring for the next generation of youngsters, and Pegula has now offered them a key piece of advice for their evolving careers.
In December 2023, Jessica Pegula opened up about her main goal in the sport – that is to inspire the next generation to take up the sport. “I think I’ve kind of wanted to take advantage of all opportunities I’ve been able to have the last few years especially so it’s always nice to get back. It’s nice to see that people see me as a role model in the sport,” she said.
Contnuing further, she added, “You know, I think that’s been my main goal or not my main goal, but one of my main goal is to get back to the sport as much as I can because I think as you get older, you realize how important it is to make an impact on the next generation or a group of fans. Whoever it is, it’s really important because the game is so much bigger than yourself.”
Even before the Charleston final, Pegula revealed how she wanted to just keep continuing to inspire and motivate the next generation of young girls. After winning the final match, she appeared in an interview with the Tennis Channel where she was asked what message she would like to give to the next generation coming through.
“I think it’s really important because I know there are a lot of us girls that are busting our b-tts off for it now. For the people, for the young generation, like ‘Guys, we’re putting in work right now for you, okay.’ Well we’re going to be long retired, so I think it’s always best when you give back,” Pegula responded.
She further went on to add, “I mean, when you get older, you start realizing how much the game gave to you, how much you really enjoyed it, and then you know you get to see these younger kids or these young girls that get so inspired, and it’s the best part. And knowing that, like when you were a ball kid like that, you were inspired by somebody that was here, that you were watching, and then you went on to have your amazing career. I mean, that’s how those things start, and so to me, giving back in that way is really important. I mean, you don’t have to be fully invested, but I think you should educate yourself and just kind of know as you grow and mature and get into your career.”
– First player to 25 WTA match wins in 2025
– Four finals (including Miami), two titles
– Back to career-high ranking of #3
Jessica Pegula is having a YEAR pic.twitter.com/MfhjdblCGO
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) April 6, 2025
“Kobe (Bryant) always said if you’re not giving back to the next generation, what are you doing it for?” Pegula once said in an old interview. We all know, the five-time NBA champion and his Mamba Mentality deeply inspired Jessica Pegula in her outlook on tennis. Kobe Bryant’s mentality resonated around a relentless pursuit of excellence and the ability to push his spirit to its limit. And, Pegula’s performance at the Charleston Open clearly reflected the same hunger and grit. What did she say after winning the final match against Kenin?
“My perseverance won me a lot of matches this week” – Jessica Pegula
Jessica Pegula played two consecutive three-setters on her way to the finals. In the QF, she defeated Danielle Collins by 1-6,6-3,6-0, and in the SF, Ekaterina Alexandrova yet again forced a three-setter. After her incredible win in the final, Pegula said, “To be able to come here this week after a long two weeks in Miami and take the title is just incredible.”
The US Open finalist revealed that she felt tired in the second set in what were “super windy” conditions. She also heaped praise on her compatriot Sofia Kenin for an incredible fight in this match. “You’re always a tough opponent. I wish you nothing but the best for the rest of the clay season, to you and your team. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again very soon,” she said.
With this win, Pegula has reached 6,101 ranking points and has now created a gap of 38 points between herself and Coco Gauff. What was the secret to her success in Charleston, though?
“I think my perseverance won me a lot of matches this week. I think, especially on the clay, I feel like you have to have kind of that grittiness and that toughness because the serve isn’t as effective. There are not as many free points, and I think winning a couple of tough points or a tough game can kind of turn the momentum of a set or a match, and I felt like I was able to do that multiple times this week. It doesn’t always happen every single week, but when you’re able to do it and take home the title,” said Pegula.
Now, since she has gotten off to a flying start to the clay court season, do you think Jessica Pegula can keep this winning run intact and win more titles moving forward? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The post “Busting Our B*tts Off”- Jessica Pegula Urges Next-Gen Players to Think Beyond Titles appeared first on EssentiallySports.
