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Jessica Pegula will be making tennis history today in Cancun as she is becoming the first player to play against all top-4 players in a single tournament since the start of the WTA rankings in 1975, via OptaAce. In her WTA Finals opener, Pegula defeated world No 4 Elena Rybakina.
Then, Pegula beat top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in her next match. In the semifinal, Pegula ousted her close friend and world No 3 Coco Gauff. Today, Pegula will be meeting world No 2 Iga Swiatek in the final in Cancun. If Pegula beats Swiatek, she will win her first WTA Finals title and also conclude her Cancun run with a 4-0 record against top-4 players.
1 - Jessica Pegula will be the first player to face the World No. 1, No. 2, No.3 and No. 4 in a single event since the WTA Rankings were published in 1975. Dream or Nightmare @JPegula?#WTAFinalsCancun | @WTA @WTAFinals @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/7RzTJxnWqN — OptaAce (@OptaAce) November 6, 2023
Pegula 'confident' ahead of the final versus Swiatek
After going undefeated in the group stage, Pegula also dominated Gauff 6-2 6-1 to reach the final.
"I managed to get my act together at the end of the year. I’ve done a good job of resetting coming here. It’s not fun leaving [Fort Worth] 0-6. I’m glad I’ve turned the tables. I found a way to make it work.
I’m feeling confident going into the finals," Pegula said after reaching the final. When asked if she would be the favorite in the final, Pegula admitted: "No. I don’t think I consider myself the favorite, considering the two girls [Sabalenka and Swiatek] are ranked ahead of me.
I’ll probably be considered the underdog, even though I’m playing great tennis." Meanwhile, Swiatek also showed major respect for Pegula by stating that she is set to play her "toughest match" at this year's WTA Finals.
When asked what makes Pegula a very difficult player, Swiatek explained. “She’s just a solid player. Even though it doesn’t seem like she’s got extraordinary shots, she’s really good at everything she plays.
She’s really mature…all the different things. I’ll focus on myself. I know what I can do here. I’ll be ready. She really showed that she can play in any conditions…for now I’m really focused on just continuing on what I have been doing for the past days. I managed to do that tonight," Swiatek said of facing Pegula.