It was meant to be a celebratory week in Austin. Instead, it turned into a worrying one. Defending champion Jessica Pegula has withdrawn from the ATX Open due to a left knee injury, abruptly ending hopes of a title defense at the WTA 250 event. The American was scheduled to open her campaign against Slovakia’s Rebecca Šramková, but the matchup will no longer take place.

“I am disappointed to not be able to defend my title in Austin,” Pegula said in a brief statement. “I love this event and have such great memories from last year. Hopefully I can come back in the future.”

The timing couldn’t be more ironic. Pegula’s withdrawal came on her 32nd birthday, and just days after she lifted her 10th career WTA title at the Dubai Tennis Championships. It had been a physically taxing run in the Middle East, where she won five matches in five days, including back-to-back three-setters, to capture the WTA 1000 crown.

Pegula has been one of the most consistent performers on tour over the past six months. She is 13-2 to start the 2026 season, with her only losses coming to Marta Kostyuk in Brisbane and Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open semifinals. Dating back to last year’s US Open, she has now reached seven consecutive semifinals – a streak unmatched since Agnieszka Radwańska achieved the feat during the 2015-16 stretch.

In Austin last year, Pegula was dominant. She dropped just one set en route to the title and defeated fellow American McCartney Kessler 7-5, 6-2 in the final. The Texas crowd had quickly embraced her calm demeanor and relentless baseline game. This time, however, she won’t even step onto the court. Her spot in the draw has been taken by Yuan Yue, while 18-year-old Iva Jovic now finds herself elevated to the top seed – a dramatic reshuffling that underscores just how quickly fortunes can shift on the WTA Tour.

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What makes Jessica Pegula’s withdrawal particularly concerning is the broader pattern unfolding across the tour. The early months of the 2026 season have been marked by repeated last-minute pullouts, forcing tournaments into constant draw adjustments. The calendar – packed tightly between Australia, Middle East events, and the Sunshine Double… has once again become a talking point among players.

On a recent episode of the Player’s Box Podcast, Pegula candidly addressed the demanding stretch. “I think it’s just a tough time of year, having less than a week in between Australia and then now we have an Abu Dhabi 500,” she explained. “We have four 500s, four 1000s, and one Grand Slam. You guys are crazy.”

She went on to outline the grind: Australia, followed by a 500 event, then back-to-back one-week 1000s, then two-week 1000s. “It’s just a lot,” she admitted. “I think it’s not surprising that a lot of people didn’t want to play or were tired or hurt.” Her comments now carry added weight.

Jessica Pegula is still scheduled to compete at Indian Wells and the Miami Open, where she was a finalist last year. With both events offering 1000 ranking points and spanning two demanding weeks each, managing her knee will be critical.

Pegula’s decision may ultimately be precautionary, a smart move to protect her body ahead of the Sunshine Double. But for a player riding one of the most consistent stretches of her career, even a minor injury disrupts momentum. However, amid all these, tennis experts have recently made some bold predictions about her Grand Slam hopes.

Serena Williams’ childhood coach backs Jessica Pegula for Grand Slam success

Momentum in tennis can be fragile. But right now, Jessica Pegula has plenty of it, and one of the sport’s most respected coaching voices believes that momentum could soon translate into a Grand Slam trophy. Fresh off her dominant run at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where she defeated Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-4 in the final, Pegula claimed her 10th WTA singles title and her fourth at the WTA 1000 level. The victory not only reinforced her reputation for week-in, week-out consistency but also reignited conversations about her Slam potential.

Among those leading the chorus is legendary coach Rick Macci, the man who helped shape the early careers of Serena Williams and Venus Williams, along with stars like Maria Sharapova and Jennifer Capriati. Taking to social media, Macci didn’t hesitate when asked whether Pegula can win a major. “Can Pegula win a slam? 100%,” he wrote. “She can beat anybody anytime, anywhere.” High praise, but not empty words.

The World No. 5 has reached the semifinals of her last seven WTA Tour events and has been a fixture inside the top 10 since 2022, the same year she peaked at a career-high No. 3 in the rankings. While a Grand Slam title has so far eluded her, she has repeatedly knocked on the door. Her deepest major run came at the US Open in 2024, where she finished runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka in a tightly contested final.

Macci emphasized not just her clean ball-striking – “lasers off either side,” as he described, but her demeanor. “Mentally, she is calm, cool, and collected under the sun or moon and will collect a Major real soon,” he added.

Macci also hailed Pegula as a role model, praising her relentless work ethic and continued improvement at 32. For a player often defined by consistency rather than flash, that steady progression may be her greatest weapon. However, he isn’t the only one to shower praise on Jessica Pegula.

Former ATP pro Steve Johnson, speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, described the Dubai title as a pivotal moment for Pegula’s confidence. “I think this was a really important win for Jess just to kind of solidify her belief that she can win these big events,” Johnson said. While noting that some top names were absent from the draw, he stressed that titles at this level still matter deeply when building toward Slam success.

“For her, what’s left to accomplish is winning a Slam title,” Johnson explained. “Winning events like this gives you the confidence to go out there and take care of business.” He pointed to her clinical handling of Svitolina in the final as evidence that Pegula is capable of elevating her level when it matters most. “If she can continue this… she’s a Slam contender.”

At 32, Jessica Pegula is entering a phase where experience meets physical prime. She has spoken openly about feeling fresh compared to many peers because early-career injuries limited her workload in her 20s. That perspective, combined with her current consistency, makes her a genuine threat heading into the remaining three majors of 2026. Do you think she can win a Grand Slam this year?