Jessica Pegula has advanced to the semifinals in the new mixed doubles event at the 2025 US Open, teaming up with British player Jack Draper. As she switches her focus to the singles competition, Pegula has described her preparation for the tournament as “weird,” citing the challenges of transitioning between events and conditions at the New York venue.
Adjusting From Mixed Doubles to Singles Play
Pegula and Draper entered the mixed doubles tournament as top seeds and started strongly, winning their first two matches in straight sets. However, they narrowly missed out on reaching the final after a tight three-set loss to Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, concluding with an 8-10 super tiebreaker.
At a recent press conference, Pegula described how shifting from mixed doubles to preparing for singles matches has felt unusual.
“Yeah, it was a little weird. We lost, and the matches went kind of late. We didn’t even get to the last match,”
she said.
“Had to practice the next morning. And yeah, feels weird.”
She also mentioned the difficulty of adapting to different balls and weather conditions, noting how cold and windy weather during outdoor play forced her to “reset” for the singles tournament by adjusting to the environment and ball behavior.
“But I have multiple days before I play, so it’s not that big of a deal. I was practicing days before that, too. So all good,”
Pegula added.
The 31-year-old American also shared her feelings about playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium before the singles matches had commenced.
“It definitely is a little bit of a weird kind of experience playing on Ashe with such great energy. But at the same time, I’ll be back there Sunday night,”
she said.
“You know, I have to say it’s probably good prep for me to be, you know, used to those crowds and that condition.”
Upcoming Singles Match Against Mayar Sherif
Pegula is scheduled to face Egypt’s Mayar Sherif in the first round of the singles event on Sunday, August 24. The two have never met in the WTA Tour before, while Sherif holds a 0-4 record at the US Open site, Flushing Meadows.
Given Pegula’s solid track record at the US Open over recent years, an early exit seems unlikely.
Reviewing Pegula’s Past Performances at the US Open
Jessica Pegula first won a main draw match at the US Open in 2015 but then suffered a five-year stretch without a New York match win. Since 2020, however, she has progressed to at least the third round annually, including reaching deeper rounds in recent tournaments.
- 2015 US Open – Lost in 2nd Round
- 2016 US Open – Lost in 1st Round
- 2019 US Open – Lost in 1st Round
- 2020 US Open – Lost in 3rd Round
- 2021 US Open – Lost in 3rd Round
- 2022 US Open – Lost in Quarterfinals
- 2023 US Open – Lost in 4th Round
- 2024 US Open – Lost in Final
During the 2024 tournament, Pegula entered as the sixth seed and demonstrated strong form by advancing to the quarterfinals without dropping a set. She defeated competitors such as Shelby Rogers, Sofia Kenin, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, and Diana Shnaider.
Pegula’s breakthrough came when she defeated world number one Iga Swiatek to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal. Although she lost the first set of her semifinal match against Karolina Muchova 1-6, Pegula rallied to win in three sets and secured her place in the US Open final.
In the championship round, Pegula faced Aryna Sabalenka, the 2023 US Open runner-up and Melbourne Grand Slam champion. Despite a competitive effort, Pegula lost in straight sets, 5-7, 5-7.
Looking Ahead to the 2025 US Open Singles Tournament
This year’s semifinal and final experience is expected to provide Pegula with valuable insights as she prepares for her 2025 US Open singles campaign. While potential talk of returning to the final stage remains, Pegula’s immediate attention is on her first-round match against Sherif.