Jessica Pegula reflects on 'amazing tournament' at 2026 Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Australia – Jessica Pegula’s superpower is steadiness. It applies to her career, her style of play, and her emotional composure.
These qualities underpinned her strong start to the season at the Australian Open, where she reached the semifinals for the first time after three previous quarterfinal exits—and knocked off Top 10 compatriots Madison Keys (the defending champion) and Amanda Anisimova along the way.
The sixth-seeded Pegula’s run in Melbourne Park ended Thursday evening in a tough 6-3, 7-6(7) loss to fifth seed Elena Rybakina. Pegula came out cold in the slower nighttime conditions, later staving off three match points while serving at 4-5 in the back-and-forth second set. But she also had two chances to level the match in the tiebreaker before the 2022 Wimbledon champion closed it out with a blistering backhand return.
“She was just playing a little bit cleaner than I was,” Pegula said of Rybakina, who went on to win her second Grand Slam title by beating Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday's final.
Pegula framed her latest Grand Slam semifinal loss as frustrating but also affirming, saying her repeated deep runs have reinforced her place among the game’s elite. After reaching back-to-back major semifinals, including last September’s US Open, the American said her results have helped solidify her belief that she is still progressing.
“My experience over the last couple of years has made me feel a lot more comfortable at this stage,” Pegula said.
Jessica Pegula advanced to the Australian Open semifinals for the first time. Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images.
She noted that her recent defeats have come against players who went on to win the tournament, reinforcing her belief that the gap is narrow.
Pegula was blunt in assessing her standing, adding: “On hard court I’m maybe top three, honestly, in the world.”
If the late-match surge fell a bit short against Rybakina, it was on brand. Stability is her base. Reliability is her habit. Persistence is her separator.
“She’s always playing stable,” said Anisimova, who was unable to free her game from Pegula’s web of guile and consistency in her 6-2, 7-6(1) quarterfinal defeat.
Pegula beat compatriots Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys and McCartney Kessler in Melbourne. Photo by David Gray/AFP via Getty Images.
A true late bloomer, Pegula, who turns 32 next month, has been patient.
As a young pro, she failed to qualify for Grand Slam main draws in 12 of 14 attempts between 2011 and 2018. Her first trip past the second round at one of the four majors didn’t come until the 2020 US Open, when she was 26 years old. Pegula’s three Grand Slam semifinal appearances—along with her 2024 run to the US Open final—have all come after her 30th birthday.
But the player who has won nine titles and ranked as high as world No. 3 kept showing up and believing she could improve.
When her progress has stalled, it hasn’t kept her from pushing forward and continuing to improve her skillset.
“I think I have more tools,” she said of her current game.
Asked to reflect on that doggedness earlier in the week, Pegula, the daughter of Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula, said it stems largely from her disposition.
She described herself as someone who stays calm and avoids emotional swings, a temperament she has learned to deploy more effectively as she’s matured, strengthening both her game and her mindset.
“I don't really get too upset, and I move on from things very quickly,” she said, adding: “It's just my personality. Like, I don't get super anxious. I don't get super hot-headed. It's never really been me.”
That’s a fair assessment, but also fails to capture what has made Pegula one of best and most beguiling players on tour.
Rather than overpowering opponents, she suffocates them with intelligence, consistency, and adaptability. A meticulous student of the game, Pegula dissects matchups and protects the court with a calm efficiency that wears down big hitters and outthinks most opponents until the scoreboard tells the story.
In Melbourne, Pegula’s road to the last four also piggybacked on her domestic dominance, with three wins against fellow Americans, including world No. 9 Keys and No. 4 Anisimova. She’s won 14 of her last 15 matches against her countrywomen. Overall, she’s 52-16 against fellow Yanks.
“I'll take those bragging rights,” said Pegula. “I guess it's something I pride myself a little bit on.”
Rather than overhaul her game, she said the next step may come down to small adjustments—being braver in key moments and handling conditions better—as she continues to push toward a first major title.
“I had an amazing tournament here,” she said Thursday. “I played some really good tennis, beat a lot of really good players, put up a fight tonight, but obviously I want to win the tournament.”
Pegula has moved forward by staying the course. It has carried her this far, with just a step or two to go.
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