Holding the Charleston trophy, Jessica Pegula thanked the tournament organizers, staff, and fans. Then, she shared a personal reflection.
“I grew up in Hilton Head, South Carolina, at the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy,” Pegula explained, her voice filled with emotion. “I learned to play tennis on clay there, the former site of the Family Circle Cup. Later, in my early twenties, I trained here on Daniel Island for a couple of years.”
“Winning the title here after a long stretch in Miami is truly amazing,” she added.
Indeed, it was a significant moment. Pegula, the top seed, achieved her first career clay-court title at 31 years old in a meaningful homecoming.
Her 6-3, 7-5 victory against Sofia Kenin capped off an impressive run for Pegula.
Facing a 5-1 deficit in the second set and feeling exhausted, Pegula fought off three set points against Kenin to hold serve. This pivotal game marked a turning point as Pegula then won the next six games and the final ten points of the match.
Starting in Miami on March 21st, Pegula won her opening match and advanced to the final, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka. She then continued to play in Charleston, a tournament close to her heart. Her win against Kenin was her tenth victory in eleven matches over just 17 days.
Pegula`s success elevates her to become the top-ranked American player, surpassing Coco Gauff at No. 3 in the world. Her 25 match wins this year are more than any other female player.
“Miami is a place where I consistently play well,” Pegula commented. “I told myself, ‘You can perform well here too. You enjoy the conditions. Why not aim to win the tournament?’”
“I am thrilled because I have important ranking points to defend in the upcoming summer tournaments. This win relieves some pressure early in the season,” she said.
Pegula began training at Smith Stearns around age seven and spent over five years there before relocating to Florida.
“I always felt that’s where I truly learned tennis,” Pegula reflected. “The technical aspects of my strokes, which I now recognize as a major advantage. People often compliment my technique. Billy Stearns instilled that in me from a very young age. Learning proper technique was crucial, and it’s remarkable to think back to my initial days learning tennis.”
“That period was part of my upbringing. I have fond memories of my childhood in Hilton Head, the Low Country, and playing a lot of tennis. It`s where I learned the game, so returning to Charleston and winning the title is incredibly special.”
Reflecting on key moments, Pegula discussed facing set points in the second set:
Pegula: “At 5-1 down, I was focused on holding serve to gain some momentum for the third set. Having not held serve that set, I wanted to avoid being broken again. It was about stopping the bleeding. Looking back, that game was huge. It really shifted the momentum.”
Pegula also spoke about learning from Hall of Famer Stan Smith at Hilton Head:
Pegula: “Stan often worked with me on serving technique, especially the toss. My serve is something I’ve significantly improved recently. It’s also neat that he`s an Adidas athlete, like me, and we’ve done Adidas promotions together. Both Stan and Billy Stearns consistently text me after matches and weeks, staying in touch. Stan even texted after yesterday’s match, praising my perseverance. It’s really cool that he still follows my career. I often see him at Grand Slams in the second week, so it`s great to maintain that relationship.”
Regarding her impressive 10 wins out of 11 matches in 17 days, Pegula commented:
Pegula: “It’s a bit surprising. But my strong finish last year gave me the confidence to sustain long runs. Coming from Toronto into Cincinnati and the US Open, I realized I could win matches over several weeks, maintain a good record, and handle different conditions. I carried that confidence into this week.”
Finally, about her upcoming Billie Jean King Cup commitment:
Pegula: “Yes, I plan to go to Bratislava, Slovakia for the Billie Jean King Cup. I enjoy team events and I’m approaching the next few weeks with a slightly more relaxed mindset. I want to enjoy it with the team, try to win, but I`m not taking a coach to BJK or Stuttgart. I`m aiming for a slightly more relaxed couple of weeks, while still playing good tennis and enjoying it.”
