American tennis player Jessica Pegula has joined Serena Williams on the list of players who have reached the Canadian and Cincinnati Open finals in the same year. She became the sixth woman to do so after Romanian Simona Halep achieved it twice, in 2015 and 2018.
Pegula, a former World No. 1 in women’s doubles, clinched the 2023 Canadian Open victory in Montreal, marking her second WTA 1000 and third WTA singles title. She repeated the feat at the 2024 Canadian Open in Toronto, ousting Karolína Plíšková, Ashlyn Krueger, Peyton Stearns and Diana Shnaider on her way to the final. She defended her title against American player Amanda Anisimova with 6-3, 2-6, 2-1.
At the 2024 Cincinnati Open, the 30-year-old trounced Karolina Muchová, Leylah Fernandez and Taylor Townsend to reach the semifinals, where she clashed with Paula Badosa and triumphed 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Pegula has thus reached another WTA 1000 final, an achievement that makes her only the sixth player in the Open Era to reach the women’s singles finals of the Canadian and Cincinnati Open tournaments in a single calendar year.
Rosie Casals, Evonne Goolagong, Na Li, Serena Williams and Simona Halep are the previous five women to make it to the Canadian and Cincinnati Open finals in the same year. Moreover, Jessica Pegula’s win in Toronto was the second by an American player after Williams in 2013.
The Florida native will face Belarusian Aryna Sebalenka, who advanced to her first Cincinnati Open final by defeating World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in straight sets. If Pegula secures the Canadian Open win after her Toronto victory, she would be the second woman to do it in the same year after Evonne Goolagong achieved the feat in 1973.
Jessica Pegula felt it was ‘crazy’ to see her name beside Serena Williams
At the 2022 Madrid Open, Jessica Pegula reached her seventh WTA 1000 quarterfinals by defeating Canadian Bianca Andreescu. After ousting Sara Sorribes Tormo in the semifinals, she advanced to the Madrid Open final, the third woman from the USA to do so after the iconic sisters, Serena (2013) and Venus Williams (2010, 2012).
After seeing her name in the same statistics as them, the American told eurosport it felt “crazy” to achieve such a career goal.
“I remember I think the Madrid final was like, even the semifinal, I think it was the first American since I don’t know Serena or Venus to make it there. So, it’s just crazy to be mentioned even in the same statistics as them,” Jessica Pegula said.
The six-time Major quarterfinalist in singles parted ways with her long-time coach, David Witt in 2024. Pegula currently trains under former Bahamanian players, Mark Knowles and Mark Merklein. Her previous performances in 2024 were marred by injuries, which also compelled her to withdraw from the French Open.
