"There is no reason why you can't win the US Open" - Lindsay Davenport has faith in Jessica Pegula lifting the title in New York

Saturday, 19 April 2025 at 02:30

After coming very close to winning the US Open trophy last year, American tennis star Jessica Pegula has been backed by retired compatriot Lindsay Davenport to go all the way sooner rather than later.

Pegula fell to Aryna Sabalenka in last year's final, but has maintained her form as she has risen to third place in the WTA rankings, overtaking fellow American Coco Gauff. Furthermore, the Buffalo native has already won two titles this season, and is currently into the quarterfinals at the Stuttgart Open.

Davenport believes in Pegula's progression

In an appearance on The Tennis Channel, Davenport assessed Pegula's current form as the clay court season kicks off in earnest.

“It’s interesting because I really thought Australia was going to be really great for her," began the former World No.1. "Coming off the US Open, where she was able to get to the final. Those conditions in Australia are really great for her in terms of fast courts and balls can skip through the court and she just didn’t play her best tennis there.
“I was curious how she would come back and then to see her in the Spring is just pretty awesome. Last year it was Danielle Collins, this year it was Jess being able to navigate Miami until [Aryna] Sabalenka and then picking it up in Charleston.
“I know the serve is something she has been working on, trying to get it to be more of a weapon, looking to get a free point or two in her service games. Shot for shot she hits the ball as clean as anyone out there. Learning to use the drop shot has been great.

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“I also just think that the belief that finally getting past the quarter-finals of a slam, I think that has really helped her. Indoor clay is good for her, Roland Garros is probably going to be the most difficult for her slam wise, with how she produces her shots but I have told her there is no reason why you cannot win Wimbledon or the US Open. I love her game and how she hits her shots and I hope she gets another chance of winning that major."

Jessica Pegula d. Sofia Kenin 6-3 7-5 in Charleston

Down 1-5 in the 2nd set.

Pegula wins her first clay court title.

She will be back to her career high of world #3, overtaking Coco Gauff as the #1 American.

✅8th career title
✅2nd title of 2025
✅25th win of the year

🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/NF872FvNxM
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) April 6, 2025

Arthur Ajayi

Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.

As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.

With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.

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