As the 2025 US Open nears the start of its semifinal round, Jessica Pegula is standing strong as one of two Americans left in the draw. Casual fans or those newly aboard the tennis train might be wondering: Who is Pegula?
Ranked fourth in the world, the 31-year-old player has been dominating the tournament thus far and is set to face off against world number one and defending US Open champ Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday night. 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 the big match—here are a few key (and fun) facts about the American powerhouse who could very well take home the next Grand Slam title.
1. Her breakthrough came only recently.
While a lot of top players—like Sabalenka and Coco Gauff—quickly moved up the rankings in their teens or early 20s, Pegula’s breakthrough didn’t come overnight. The 2024 US Open marked the first time she ever reached a Grand Slam final, where she ultimately lost to Sabalenka (but hey, this is the perfect opportunity for a high-stakes rematch).
Before that, Pegula 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 as well as the 2025 Charleston Open to get to where she is today.
2. Her doubles partner was 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 last year. “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.”
3. 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.
“I don’t know a lot of my heritage,” Pegula admitted in 2023. (Her mother, born in Seoul, was abandoned by her birth parents and adopted by an American family at age 5.) However, Pegula’s first trip to Korea (for the 2019 Hana Bank Korea Open) allowed her to “realize the importance of [her] heritage,” she said.
