Last September, then 19-year-old Coco Gauff took home her first US Open title. And now, American tennis fans have another star to rally behind: Jessica Pegula.
If you haven’t been watching the tournament, allow us to fill you in: Ranked sixth in the world, Pegula has been dominating the court. On Wednesday she pulled off a major upset by defeating world number one Iga Świątek, then followed it up with another impressive win against Karolína Muchová in the semifinals. This Saturday, the 30-year-old standout will be competing in the women’s singles finals against Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka for a chance to clinch a Grand Slam title.
If you’re a major tennis fan, perhaps you’re already familiar with Pegula’s (pretty impressive) game. But if you’re just now tuning in—or want to learn more about her ahead of this weekend’s big match—here are a bunch of key (and fun) facts about the American powerhouse.
1. This is Pegula’s first Grand Slam final.
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Before this week, Pegula had only reached the quarterfinal round of a Grand Slam tournament six times: three at the Australian Open, once at the French Open, once at Wimbledon, and once at the 2022 US Open. So this marks her first appearance at a major final.
“I was happy I was able to turn this match around on such a big stage and figure it out,” Pegula said in an on-court interview after winning the semifinal Thursday night. “[Aryna]’s gonna be obviously tough to beat, but that’s what the finals are for. So I’m ready.”
2. Her breakthrough came only three years ago.
While a lot of top players—like Sabalenka and Gauff—climbed the rankings in their teens or early 20s, Pegula’s rise has been a bit more gradual. She cracked the world top 50 for the first time at 27 years old in 2021 after a standout performance at the Australian Open, where she defeated big-name competitors including Victoria Azarenka, Samantha Stosur, and Elina Svitolina. Since then, Pegula has continued to rack up wins at major tournaments, like the 2023 and 2024 Canadian Opens, to get to where she is today.
3. Her doubles partner is none other than Coco Gauff.
Since teaming up in 2021, Pegula and Gauff have claimed five doubles titles together, including at the 2023 Miami Open. Their incredible teamwork didn’t stop there: Later that year, they went on to become the world’s number one doubles team, marking the first all-American duo to achieve this milestone since 2012. (Gauff and Pegula were also the only regular doubles team to rank in the top 10 individually, according to the WTA.)
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While the two agreed to put their doubles streak on hold to focus on their singles careers, Pegula only has praise for her teammate. “[Coco] is much more sure of herself, and knows what she wants,” Pegula told reporters in August. “Also, she is hitting that age where you are learning all that stuff. You are trying to figure out what you want, how you want it, making more of your own decisions, and we have seen that over the past year.”
4. Tennis brought Pegula closer to her Korean roots.
If you’re not already aware, Pegula is half Korean—an important aspect of her identity that she takes great pride in.