Davenport Believes in Pegula: "I Told Her There’s No Reason She Can’t Win Wimbledon or the US Open"

Jessica Pegula is off to a strong start this season on the WTA tour. The American has already reached four finals since January (winning two in Austin and Charleston and losing the other two in Adelaide and Miami) and has reclaimed the No. 3 spot in the WTA rankings, overtaking Coco Gauff.

Currently competing in the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 tournament in Stuttgart this Saturday, where she will face Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 31-year-old Pegula is still chasing her first Grand Slam title.

She came close at last year’s US Open in September 2024, where she reached the final after defeating Iga Swiatek, among others, before falling to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Lindsay Davenport, captain of the U.S. Billie Jean King Cup team, recently spoke to Tennis Channel about her national team player’s chances of winning a Major in the coming months.

"It’s interesting because I really thought the Australian Open would be a great tournament for her. She was coming off the US Open, where she made the final. The conditions in Australia are excellent for her—fast courts, balls that move through the court—but she didn’t play her best tennis there.

I know she’s been working on her serve lately, trying to turn it into a weapon, aiming to get a couple of free points on her service games. From stroke to stroke, she hits the ball as cleanly as anyone. Learning to use the drop shot more has also been a great tool for her.

I also think believing she can finally get past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam has really helped her. Indoor clay suits her well.

Roland Garros will probably be the toughest tournament for her, given how she produces her shots, but I told her there’s no reason she can’t win Wimbledon or the US Open.

I love her game and how she strikes the ball. I really hope she gets another shot at winning a Grand Slam," explained Davenport, a former world No. 1.