Jessica Pegula's Title Defense Vaults Her Back into Contention

Jessica Pegula's 2023 season has been a rollercoaster ride, marked by early exits and injuries. However, her recent title defense at the National Bank Open in Toronto has reignited her hopes for a strong finish to the year.

Pegula's struggles began early in the season, with disappointing performances at several tournaments. Injuries forced her to withdraw from Indian Wells, Miami, and Roland Garros, further derailing her momentum.

Despite these setbacks, Pegula showed signs of improvement on grass, winning her first title in eight months at the ecotrans Ladies Open. However, she entered the US Open swing with low expectations after a busy schedule that included the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

To her surprise, Pegula hit the ground running in Toronto, reaching her second straight final without dropping a set. She became the first woman since Martina Hingis in 2000 to win both the Montréal and Toronto tournaments.

"It was definitely a tough week mentally," Pegula said of her Olympic exits. "But to be able to come back the next week and just focus on competing almost helped me. I didn't have time to think about how I was really feeling."

Pegula's victory in Toronto was an emotional release for her. "I was able to defend a title I've always done well at, in a place that's somewhat close to home," she said. "It was nice to go through that whole week, play some good tennis when I needed to, and come out on top."

Now seeded No. 6 in Cincinnati, Pegula faces a tough opening test against either Karolina Muchova or Dayana Yastremska. Despite the demanding schedule, she is determined to keep pushing until the off-season.

"I missed a lot of the beginning of the year, so I feel mentally pretty good where some other people might feel more run down," Pegula said. "I'm mentally prepared to grind out the end of the year more than I would be the last few years."

With her form and fitness on the rise, it remains to be seen how much better Jessica Pegula's year can get.

Tags: #JessicaPegula, #NationalBankOpen, #Toronto, #USOpen, #Tennis