Jessica Pegula reflects on turning her season around and battling anxiety: “I decided to trust in the process”

Jessica Pegula discussed the pressure she felt as she turned around her 2024 season. The American had remained in the top 5 for almost two years, but inconsistent results in the first part of the season put her on the brink of a significant ranking drop.

However, the world No. 3 rediscovered her best form during the hardcourt swing of the US Open Series. Pegula suffered early exits in the second rounds of Wimbledon and the Australian Open, and she skipped the French Open. After her disappointing performance at SW19, Pegula won 16 of her next 18 matches, securing the title at the Canadian Open and reaching the finals in Cincinnati and the US Open, both ending in losses to Aryna Sabalenka.

Pegula earned 2,950 points in her last three tournaments, despite only accumulating a little over 1,500 points in the first seven months of the season. "I know it was always possible, you can get hot, but that wasn’t necessarily on my radar,” Pegula told the WTA. "Obviously, there were a lot of doubts. But I trusted that the work I was doing and the mentality would come back."

"I think at the end of the day, I decided to try and trust the process, trust the training. Just because I missed half the year doesn’t mean I forgot how to play at a top level. There are so many things I’m really proud of,” added the recent US Open runner-up. "I had a lot of anxiety. I wasn’t feeling great. But slowly, [the confidence] was able to build back a little bit."

The world No. 3 came close to glory recently at Flushing Meadows, reaching her first Grand Slam final, but suffered a defeat in two tight sets, 7-5, 7-5, to Sabalenka. "You were so close to calling yourself a champion, and now you’re calling yourself a finalist,” she said.

“And that kind of sucks. But at the same time, I broke through a lot of barriers. After being upset for a couple of days, you come to the conclusion – everyone talking to you about it and telling you: 'No, it was a really great match,’” Pegula explained. "In the end, I’ve accepted and appreciated the moment itself."

On her debut at the China Open, Pegula claimed victory over the talented Diane Parry 6-1, 7-6(4). The 30-year-old player seems to have left injuries behind, mentioning that she feels physically strong for the season's end, unlike in previous years: "I’m not as worn out as I have been in the past," Pegula continued. "I’m a little bit fresher than other people. I’m happy that it worked out. I can’t say I planned it that way."

"I believe that every time I’ve come back from injury, I’ve always come back better. Every time I’ve been out, I’ve returned stronger, ranked higher than before. I think leaning on that past experience helped me."