Jessica Pegula is taking a brief break following the Australian Open, where she played singles and doubles.
Pegula lost her doubles opener with fellow American McCartney Kessler, but made it all the way to the semifinals of the singles event.
She knocked out defending champion Madison Keys and their compatriot Amanda Anisimova during a fantastic run in Melbourne.
But that superb run finally came to an end against Elena Rybakina, who went on to clinch the Australian Open title.
Jessica Pegula ‘excited’ to defend Charleston Open title
Pegula has since withdrawn from the Qatar Open, which is now underway in Doha, but she has now confirmed her presence for the Charleston Open.
Sharing a video message on her Instagram story, she said: “Hi there, it’s Jess. I’m excited to announce that I’m coming back to Charleston to defend my title at the Credit One Charleston Open, March 28th – April 5th.
“I’m really excited to come back and see all the fans at Daniel Island. It was so much fun and such a special moment for me. So get your tickets now and I will see you guys soon.”
As Pegula mentioned, she lifted the trophy in Charleston in 2025, defeating fellow American Sofia Kenin in the final.
What WTA titles has Jessica Pegula won?
Pegula is a nine-time champion on the WTA Tour, having also clinched titles in Bad Homburg and Austin in 2025.
Currently sixth in the world rankings, she has enjoyed a fantastic start to 2026, also reaching the Brisbane semifinals.
The 31-year-old has an 8-2 win-loss record for the season, and looks very likely to reach double figures for career titles in 2026.
- 2025 – Bad Homburg, Charleston, Austin
- 2024 – Toronto, Berlin
- 2023 – Montreal, Seoul
- 2022 – Guadalajara
- 2019 – Washington DC
For now, however, she is enjoying a well-deserved rest after her exploits in Australia, and she isn’t the only one.
Her fellow Americans Keys and Iva Jovic have withdrawn from the Qatar Open, along with Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka.
READ MORE: Where Elena Rybakina stands among WTA’s top earners after Australian Open win
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