Tennis always has its shocks. This time, it’s Jessica Pegula on the wrong end. The American No. 2 is still reeling from that crushing first-round Wimbledon exit last month. Since then, her record has been a shaky 1-3. In Ohio, she started strong with a clean 6-4, 6-3 win over Kimberley Birrell. But then came Magda Linette — a far tougher hurdle.

On Tuesday, Pegula and Linette went toe-to-toe, trading three breaks each. The Pole snatched the first set in a tense tiebreak. Rain twice hit the second, stopping play, but Pegula battled through to level the match. The play carried over to Wednesday, but this time the American missed early break chances. Linette struck in the eighth game of the decider and closed it out, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3.

After the win, Linette beamed about facing Jessica Pegula. “It feels so good. I had so many tough matches on this court. I lost so many 3 setters. I never really got close to getting a set off her before. To me, it means so much. She’s such an unbelievable ballstriker and competitor. Unbelievable person off the court. I just feel this day is really special that I got the chance to beat her,” she told The Tennis Letter on X.

It really was a big day for the Pole. For Linette, both her Top 10 wins this season have been against Americans in the Top 5. Earlier, she stunned then-No. 3 Coco Gauff in the Miami Open fourth round, matching her career-best WTA 1000 result. She can hit that mark again this week if she beats the winner of 16th seed Clara Tauson versus Veronika Kudermetova.

Right now, Pegula’s struggles are clear. Since her title run on the grass of Bad Homburg, she’s lost four of six matches. But the trouble doesn’t end there, as fellow American Madison Keys can overtake her for the No. 4 US Open seed with a deep Cincinnati run. However, Pegula has had other things on her mind.

Jessica Pegula reveals how long she plans to keep playing

On the Tennis Insider Club podcast with former World No. 4 Caroline Garcia, Pegula left no doubt about her career timeline. “I’ll definitely not be playing at 35,” the World No. 4 said firmly. “Definitely not. I think that’s where I for sure have to stop.” The 31-year-old, who turned pro in 2009, even has her swan song in mind — the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

“I think it would be cool to try and make the Olympics cause it’s in LA in a couple years,” she said. “I’m counting it, technically, like two years because then you qualify, so I’ll probably have an idea by then if I’m in or not.”

She’s no stranger to the Olympic spotlight. Representing the U.S. at the 2020 Tokyo Games (played in 2021 due to COVID), she bowed out in the first round to eventual gold medalist Belinda Bencic. In 2024 at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, Jessica Pegula started with a win over Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic before falling to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.

Her resume sparkles, nine career titles, including three WTA 1000 crowns in Guadalajara, Montreal, and Toronto. The missing piece? A Grand Slam. She nearly claimed it at last year’s US Open, finishing runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka. With three 2025 titles, Austin, Charleston, and Bad Homburg, plus a 36–16 record, the American No. 2 is walking into Flushing Meadows with some momentum.

Yes, her latest loss may sting, but coming in as the 2024 US Open runner-up gives her confidence and fuel. Could this finally be the year Jessica Pegula breaks through? Share your thoughts in the comments below!