“When I get to those bigger moments, I think just being comfortable being there now and maybe taking some more risks and having a little bit more belief.” American WTA star Jessica Pegula said two years ago ahead of her 2023 Roland Garros campaign. She was reflecting on her shining run on the Parisian clay court that came a year prior, in 2022. She made it to the quarterfinals but lost to eventual winner, Poland’s Iga Swiatek. This season, Pegula’s set for a return to the clay slam after two years. Is there a chance for her to replicate the campaign from three years ago? Well, ex-ATP pro and 2003 US Open winner Andy Roddick has made a bold prediction on her chances.

Pegula’s experience at the Roland Garros has been far from good. She made her event debut back in 2019. Unfortunately, she crashed out in R128 with a defeat against former World No.1 Ashleigh Barty. The outcome in the next campaign, in 2020, remained unchanged as well. In 2021, she was ousted in R32. But it was in 2022 that Pegula really showed her potential as a clay court player. The World No.3 went on to enter the last eight before Swiatek sent her back home. The Pole edged her out in straight sets (6-3, 6-2). In her last campaign in Paris, during the 2023 edition, Pegula reached the third round before Belgium’s Elise Mertens beat her 6-1, 6-3.

But what about 2025? While she’s won two WTA titles this season, her clay journey has been underwhelming. In four back-to-back events in last month (Stuttgart, Madrid, Rome, and Strasbourg), couldn’t even reach the semis. Still, former American icon Andy Roddick believes Pegula has the potential to make a deep run at the Roland Garros. In fact, he recently made a wild prediction, in her favor, during an episode of his Served podcast, dated May 23. Per Roddick, “Jessica Pegula has gotten to the status where I look at a draw and I just know, I give her a lot of faith even if she doesn’t have a huge run of form coming.”

He admitted that “she hasn’t made a huge run in any of these events. She hasn’t made this semi, she lost this week on a warm up event to Raducanu.” But still, “I like Pegula through to the quarter (last eight) just because she’s so proven at this point. I don’t think she’s gonna get fazed much.”

Coming back to her French Open woes, she couldn’t compete in Paris last season. Unfortunately, she had to withdraw due to a persistent injury. In an Instagram update from May 2024, she wrote, “I’m just about back to practicing normal haven’t had any issues for weeks… If I had another 5-7 days I would have been there 100%.”

But now it’s time for her to return to the Parisian clay court and prove herself. Most importantly, she seems really excited about the upcoming campaign despite going in with a weak form.

Jessica Pegula hopes to leave an impact at the 2025 French Open

If you are someone who wants to gain a solid momentum before stepping on the Parisian clay court, doing well in precursor events always helps. Right? However, this has not happened to Jessica Pegula lately. If you look at her form overall, she’s played well this season. She went on to win events like the ATX Open and the Charleston Open too. She even made it to the summit clash of the Miami Open!

But on clay, it’s been a different story altogether. Barring her QF run in Stuttgart, she’s mostly faced early exits. After crashing out in R32 in Madrid, she witnessed a similar fate in Rome too. And then, Strasbourg proved to be no different, as she was ousted in R16. Still, tennis is all about the next battle and a new day. It only takes one match to change the fortunes. Pegula knows it and that’s why she’s counting on her chances on the Parisian clay.

In an interaction with USA Today, dated May 20, she expressed her excitement for the French Open. She knows there will be strong competitors there, including the reigning queen Swiatek. Admiring the Pole, the American said, “she’s dominated the last, you know, few years now on the clay, always has been known to be an amazing clay court player.” But what about Pegula’s own clay court journey? Is she looking forward to extend it a little further this time?

Pegula said, “I’m excited to get it going. I mean, yeah, hopefully I can get back to the quarters or be better there.” Continuing further, she added, “I feel like my clay court season’s been a little up and down, but hopefully I can save my best tennis for Paris.”

What are your thoughts on Jessica Pegula’s prospects in Paris? Will she succeed in earning a solid campaign? Let us know in the comments below.