"The tank was kind of empty": Tiredness over elation at first clay title for Jessica Pegula in Charleston
WTA
Jessica Pegula managed to find her way past Sofia Kenin 6-3, 7-5 coming from 5-1 down in the second to register her first clay court title at the Charleston Open. It caps off an incredible run for Pegula who won Austin then reached the final of Miami and now won Charleston.
Kind of a Danielle Collins type of run albeit with more sustained consistency. She is now up to World No.3 and unlike last week in Miami, she had the drinks ready after having to famously steal Aryna Sabalenka's last week.
She tapped into the psyche of her win on the Tennis Channel desk and how tired she was over having a will to win so to speak. She is set to play Billie Jean King Cup and Stuttgart but it is unlikely to be the case it is presumed due to the lateness of this run.
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"I just realized how tired I was," Pegula told Tennis Channel post-match. "She started to play a high level, there were a couple of games I didn't get out of, didn't break, didn't hold. It was super windy, super tough conditions. If you lost focus for a split second or stopped moving your feet for a second, it just swings so fast. It was the same way for both of us."
"In the second set, I just wanted to hold, I just wanted to tell myself to get momentum for the third, because coming into a third like that never feels good. I knew I could break her, too. I honestly didn't think I was going to break her twice, but luckily, I could play some good tennis."
"I was really tired so I'm glad. It felt more emotionally. I felt oh my god again, I have to fight through this again. The tank was kind of empty today, it kind of helped me relax today and focus on what I had to do instead of waste energy."
"I just try not to get too emotionally invested in what is going on. I think just thinking clearly is important. The decision making gets a lot easier. If I'm too emotional, it just zaps my energy. For me it's all about staying tapped into the present."
We had the drinks ready for Jessie this week 🍹😌@JPegula walks us through her first title run in Charleston:#CharlestonOpen pic.twitter.com/Nd5zFmO6va
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) April 6, 2025
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
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mandoist06-11-2026 - Enough of her bullshit. Go marry someone.mandoist06-11-2026
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