Jessica Pegula Withdraws from ATX Open with Left Knee Injury After Dubai Title Run
Defending champion jessica pegula has withdrawn from the ATX Open with a left knee injury, a late change that alters the Austin draw and shifts focus to her recovery ahead of the upcoming Sunshine Double. The withdrawal follows a demanding week in Dubai and coincides with her 32nd birthday.
Jessica Pegula pulls out of ATX Open
The left knee injury has prompted Pegula to step out of the tournament she won previously. She had been entered as the top seed and was scheduled to open against Rebecca Sramkova. Her exit removes a leading contender from the field and opens a path for lower-ranked entrants.
In the draw update, Yuan Yue replaces Pegula as a lucky loser, and the reshuffle elevates 18-year-old Iva Jovic to top seed status. The change modifies early-round matchups and the seeding landscape for the event previously anchored by the defending champion.
Immediate context: form, fatigue and recovery plans
jessica pegula arrives at this break directly off a busy, successful stretch. She captured her 10th career WTA Tour title in Dubai after a run that included five matches at a high-level tournament, with a pair of back-to-back three-set wins during that week. The withdrawal coincides with her birthday and follows intense recent competition, prompting a decision to rest and recover.
Season-to-date figures show a strong run: Pegula is 13-2 with only two losses noted in the early season. She has reached the semifinals at a string of events stretching back to the previous US Open, making for a consistent sequence of deep runs that has been highlighted in recent coverage of her form.
What this means for the Sunshine Double and immediate schedule
With the ATX Open off the agenda, Pegula is set to prioritize upcoming tournaments that begin with Indian Wells and conclude with Miami. The withdrawal has been framed as a proactive recovery move ahead of that back-to-back stretch of events, indicating a focus on managing fitness for the calendar’s next major swing.
For the Austin tournament itself, the draw adjustment gives Yuan Yue an unexpected main-draw opening and places Iva Jovic as the new top seed. Tournament dynamics will shift accordingly, and those changes create fresh opportunities for other players in the early rounds.
Officials and teams will monitor Pegula’s left knee in the coming days as she prepares for the travel and match demands of Indian Wells and Miami. Any updates to her status or schedule may emerge as she completes rest and recovery, and those details could change as the Sunshine Double approaches.
Recent developments indicate this situation is evolving. Further information about fitness or precise return timing may be released in the lead-up to the next events, and draw adjustments in Austin are already in effect.
