It won’t be wrong to say that Jessica Pegula is currently one of the best players on the WTA circuit. Ranked No. 3 in the world, she has won 11 WTA singles titles and seven doubles titles. But one feat that she just can’t achieve is winning a Grand Slam. Her best result came at the 2024 US Open, where she reached the final, but lost to Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. However, that isn’t botheing Pegula too much.

“I don’t hold too much to it,” she said after defeating Kamilla Rakhimova at the National Bank Open, reported Chris Oddo of Tennis Now. “If I never win a slam, like, I’m still going to have a great life, and it’s not something that’s kind of driving me insane, I guess I could say. But is it something that is a goal and that I really want to achieve, and do I really want to win the US Open this year, like a hundred percent.”

US Open is Pegula’s strongest slam as it is played on the surface that she prefers. She has a win-loss record of 23-9 at Flushing Meadows. The 32-year-old has an equally impressive win-loss record of 20-7 at the Australian Open. But her best record in the tournament is a semifinal appearance.

The French Open is her least favored Slam, as she has a win-loss record of 11-7 and has only been able to reach as far as the quarterfinals. In comparison, she has reached the quarterfinals twice at Wimbledon and has a win-loss record of 12-7 in the Grand Slam.

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The US and Australian Opens are two of her strongest Grand Slams. Even last year, she reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadows, defeating players like Victoria Azarenka and Barbora Krejcikova. She reached the same stage earlier this year in Melbourne after defeating her compatriots Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova in the process.

There are hopes around Pegula this season as well ahead of the US Open. She has picked up her form significantly ever since the hard-court season began. She commenced the swing by reaching the final of the Citi Open, where Alexandra Eala defeated her 4-6, 6-4, 6-0. The American has racked up wins over Magdalena Frech and Kamilla Rakhimova at the National Bank Open and has reached the Round of 16.

She has already recorded five victories in the season, and a positive result in Toronto will see her enter the US Open full of confidence. Pegula will be facing Diana Shnaider next in the Round of 16 of the National Bank Open. The 32-year-old will be the clear favorite to win this match. This is because she has a commanding 4-0 lead in the H2H record.

Pegula has already defeated Shanider twice this season. Their last meeting came barely a week ago in the semifinals of the Citi Open, where Pegula prevailed 7-5, 6-4. The American has dropped just one set in her four meetings against Shnaider so far and will be looking for a similar result in Toronto.