Jessica Pegula is the champion in Charleston, having beaten Yuliia Starodubtseva in straight sets to win the title.
It marked a relatively straightforward end to what had been a gruelling week for the 32-year-old, who had outlasted all four of her opponents in three-set matches before the final.
Speaking afterwards on Tennis Channel, Jessica Pegula was insightful as she broke down what had been a tough week for her, both physically and mentally.
She began by discussing what it took to reclaim her crown in Charleston and defend her title.
Jessica Pegula reacts after winning the title in Charleston
Asked what her emotions were after winning the event for a second-straight year, Pegula admitted: “Yeah, I don’t know. It’s crazy.
“It was definitely a tough path last year and this year, and I think sometimes when you win a tournament, you kind of like romanticise, like, oh, it was so easy, and it’s usually not. Like, there are usually some days where it’s really hard.
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“And so I think I shifted my mindset a little bit coming back defending. I was like, listen, last year was a really tough year. It wasn’t, like, everything went perfect. So I think that actually kind of helped me get through a lot of really tough matches this week.”
She smiled as she was asked about the length of her matches at this event over the last few days, but saw the positives in such a physically demanding week for tennis.
Pegula added: “Like, I really do think I’d rather have it this way going into clay season, for sure, because you’re gonna have matches like this. Like, it’s impossible not to, especially on clay.
“So I think it’s honestly great for my clay court season, hopefully, as long as I can kind of, you know, stay healthy and keep adjusting and keeping that that mindset that on clay can be a little tricky and it gets tough.”
Pegula has now proven exactly why she can win a Grand Slam title in 2026 with this latest triumph.
Only Aryna Sabalenka has more titles than Jessica Pegula in 2026
As the above suggests, it’s a testament to Pegula’s stunning start to the 2026 season that only Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one, boasts more titles than her.
The Belarusian started her year off with a triumph in Brisbane, before losing in the final of the Australian Open.
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She followed that up by completing the Sunshine Double, with her third trophy of the campaign coming in Miami.
Pegula, meanwhile, reached the semi-finals in both Brisbane and Melbourne, before winning the title in Dubai.
The American then reached two quarter-finals at Indian Wells and Miami, before claiming her second title of the year in Charleston.
It will be intriguing to see how Pegula stacks up against Sabalenka at the end of the clay-court swing.
