Pegula assesses her season: "I feel like I've become a better player this season"

A finalist at the Masters two years ago, Jessica Pegula came close to repeating that performance this season. The American led by a set before falling to Elena Rybakina this Friday in the semifinals.

Pegula gave it her all, but it wasn't enough. The American, the world No. 5, was overturned by Elena Rybakina (4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in 2 hours and 5 minutes of play). The 31-year-old player was seeking a second final at the WTA Finals, two years after the one she lost decisively to Iga Swiatek.

Despite winning the first set, Pegula failed to advance past the semifinal stage. After her elimination, which also marks the end of her 2025 season where she won three titles (Austin, Charleston, and Bad Homburg), the player in question took stock of her year.

"It's not the best feeling, it's a tough loss for me. I don't know what else to say. She really played very well in the important moments. Congratulations to her, she produced some very good tennis, serving very well.

I feel like with these conditions, it's difficult for me on every return game because she had a lot of free points with her serve. Despite everything, I think I played at a very good level today.
On a personal level, it was a very good season.

I feel like I've become a better player this season. I was able to work on certain things and apply them during matches, which is something we all try to do as players.

I think I'm ending this year telling myself that I'm a better player, with the confidence to work on even more things I want to improve during the pre-season period. We'll see if I can do the same next season.

My coaches (Mark Knowles and Mark Merklein) also feel that I'm producing some of the best tennis I've ever played. That's encouraging because it hasn't even been two years since I started working with them.

I see that I've become a much better tennis player in what is, in my opinion, an incredibly competitive field in women's tennis, and that is reflected in my results.

I manage to progress when I face players like Aryna (Sabalenka), Elena (Rybakina), Coco (Gauff), or anyone else. They have seen my progression and it's exciting to hear them say all that about me," Pegula thus stated in the mixed zone after her elimination to WTA media.