As the new year approaches, Pegula is at a crossroads. She’s 30 years old and has been a model of consistency for years. Although she topped out at No. 3 again, at the end of the year her finalist points from the 2023 WTA Finals fell off the computer and she finished at No. 7. Does she have it in her to make another push?
Pegula has made her way through the WTA minefield with a precise, consistent game, excellent focus and model self-control. She hits the ball extremely flat (so much so that her forehand is said to have the lowest spin rate in the WTA), and she has excellent hands and “feel.”
It’s no secret that Pegula is short on offense, more dangerous as a returner than a server. This year, she won just 48.5 percent of her own second-serve points, but 56.8 percent of her second-serve return points. Pegula’s calm temperament helps her navigate challenging situations, but she isn’t a great mover, and the trend in the women’s game is toward more explosive, powerful individuals. She knows this all too well.
“I feel like the movement, there’s just so many good athletes playing now,” she said. She’s floored by the sight of 15-year-olds sliding on hard courts as well as clay, exploding out of corners, transitioning from defense to offense in the blink of an eye.
I’m like, oh my God. Even five years ago sliding wasn’t that common. Now it’s like everyone is doing it, everyone moves well.
The terms under which Pegula will have to compete going forward are pretty clear: protect her vulnerable serve, lean on her skills, hit low and flat shots, and embrace an aggressive mindset. She needs to do what she already does best, only better.
Pegula will reduce her commitments in 2025 (in 2023, she played 123 matches, including 77 singles), especially doubles. The fears of falling behind that haunted Pegula in the early half of last year, when she struggled with form and injury, are long gone. Although she never really fell off our radar, she had a statement to make this summer.
She put it simply: ‘Okay, I’m still here.’”
