Jessica Pegula talks about the WTA's Top-10 player limitation at the ATX Open: “It’s good for the lower-ranked players”

Jessica Pegula spoke about Madison Keys' absence from the ATX Open Austin after a WTA rule prevented two top-10 players from being in the draw. Starting this year, WTA 250 tournaments can have a maximum of one top-10 player.

Until a couple of years ago, up to two top-10 players were allowed in a WTA 250 draw. However, the rule changed to help lower-ranked players and ensure the top players focus on bigger tournaments – WTA 500, WTA 1000, and Grand Slams.

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After registration for the tournament, just before the Australian Open, Jessica Pegula was listed as the only top-10 player in the tournament. The entry list included Madison Keys, who was ranked No. 14 before the Aussie Open.

After the American won her first Grand Slam title, this reflected in her ranking, placing her at No. 7 by the end of the tournament, and currently at No. 5, making her the third American behind Coco Gauff (No. 3) and Pegula (No. 4).

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Due to Keys' increased ranking, the organization was forced to remove her from the tournament list, as they couldn't have two top-10 players in the draw. At the start of the tournament, Pegula – precisely the only top-10 player in Austin – responded to the controversy regarding her friend Madison Keys.

“It’s so hard to say because you can see both sides, right? I mean, sometimes there are small tournaments before, and if it was like a big week, like here before Indian Wells, you could have a couple of top-10 players,” the 2024 US Open finalist said. “Maybe that doesn’t benefit the lower-ranked players who are getting into these tournaments and trying to gain points and momentum to work their way up to the bigger tournaments.”

Madison Keys reached the world No. 5, her best ranking so far.

“But then, at the same time, it’s always tough when something like that happens, like with Madi (Keys), and she’s not able to play. Although I will say, I think that it was a pretty extreme, kind of rare circumstance, so I don’t think she’s killing herself over it, you know? She won the Australian Open, so I think she’s pretty happy.”

“I know she did want to come play here, because she kept asking me if I was going to play, and if not, you know, I pulled out and she takes the log. She would still want to come here, but I think it just kind of depends on the player,” Pegula revealed. “I think with all the 500 tournaments we have, a lot of them have been upgraded as well, trying to make the tournaments bigger, with more points, more prize money.”

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“I don’t think this transition actually was that bad when we upgraded a lot of 500s because there were just a lot more, and there’s a lot more opportunities. More money, more points. So again, I think it was just kind of an unlucky circumstance a little bit for Madi. I think it’s good. I think it’s good for the lower-ranked players, and then obviously the one I think is enough,” Pegula concluded.

The world No. 4 has already defeated Arantxa Rus and Nuria Parrizas, without dropping a set. She will face Anna Blinkova in the quarterfinals.

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