“I’d put my money on Jess”: Ons Jabeur predicts Pegula as WTA Finals champion

Ons Jabeur revealed her favorites to advance from the Round Robin at the WTA Finals, choosing Jessica Pegula as the tournament champion. The three-time Grand Slam finalist didn’t qualify for this year’s event after participating in 2022 and 2023, but traveled to Riyadh as one of the tournament ambassadors and a television commentator.

The tournament began Saturday with the Purple Group, consisting of Aryna Sabalenka (No. 1), Jasmine Paolini (No. 4), Elena Rybakina (No. 5), and Zheng Qinwen (No. 7). With only two players advancing, Jabeur selected current world No. 1 Sabalenka and Italy’s Paolini to reach the semifinals.

The Orange Group debuts Sunday, featuring matches with Iga Swiatek (No. 2) against Barbora Krejcikova (No. 8) and Jessica Pegula (No. 6) versus Coco Gauff (No. 3). This time, Jabeur picked Swiatek and Pegula to advance, both of whom were finalists in 2023, with Swiatek winning the title.

Jabeur expects a surprise champion this year, believing Pegula may perform even better than in 2023 and take the title. “I love Jessi, not just as a tennis player, but her personality. I think she’s amazing for our sport; she’s very humble, and I enjoy talking with her,” Jabeur began.

“I think she’s honestly an amazing player. The fact that she was injured at the beginning of the year, didn’t start the year well, and still qualified—I think that’s honestly a miracle,” added the former world No. 2. “And the way she played during the US swing was so impressive. She has a strong game, and I think this court could really suit her well. She plays tricky, low shots, and having played against her, I’d definitely put my money on Jess.”