Jessica Pegula’s commanding victory at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships has ignited her belief in achieving a historic milestone: becoming only the second player in the Open Era to claim a maiden Grand Slam singles title after turning 30.
The American world number five delivered a dominant 6-2, 6-4 performance against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in Saturday’s final, securing her third WTA 1000 title just days before her 32nd birthday on February 24. This triumph represents the most significant achievement in Pegula’s recent run of exceptional form, during which she has reached seven consecutive tournament semifinals, including both the 2024 US Open and the 2025 Australian Open.
Pegula now eyes the unprecedented accomplishment of Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, who at age 33 captured the 2015 US Open title as her first major championship. Since the Open Era began in 1968, no other player has achieved this particular feat.
Remarkably, Pegula didn’t break into the WTA’s top 100 rankings until age 25, making her subsequent rise to world number three particularly impressive. The daughter of American billionaire Terry Pegula has since collected ten tour-level titles while maintaining consistency that has eluded many contemporaries.
“I’ve proven that you can excel at a later age,” Pegula stated. “I broke through after 24, 25, which is considered late nowadays. I’ve made slam finals, gone deep in several majors, won titles, and reached number three in the world. There’s definitely much to be proud of.”
While acknowledging that a Grand Slam victory represents her “last goal,” Pegula maintains perspective: “I don’t feel like I want it to define my career. If I had to stop right now, I’ve had an amazing career without regrets.”
The Dubai victory provides crucial momentum as Pegula prepares for the upcoming French Open, where she hopes to translate her enhanced confidence into another deep major run. “Winning titles like this proves I’ve improved as a player,” she noted. “Hopefully come the next slam, I can execute what I need to progress further and give myself the best shot.”