Pegula comments on the controversial venue change of the WTA Finals

Pedro de Pablos | 2 Jul 2026 | 08.31

Pegula gives her opinion on the controversial venue change for the WTA Finals. Source: Getty Images.

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Jessica Pegula had a tough time yesterday to reach the third round of Wimbledon 2026 after overcoming Sara Sorribes. Later, the American tennis player held a press conference and gave her opinion on two controversial issues, such as the relocation of the WTA Finals and the WTA 1000 to two weeks, something she believes needs to change.

Yesterday afternoon it was reported that, due to the conflict in the Middle East, the WTA Finals will be held at the Indian Wells facilities instead of Riyadh. Despite having a year left on the contract, everything was rushed at the last minute, a decision that has sparked a lot of controversy. However, Pegula has supported this decision considering the current circumstances, yet she also took the opportunity to request that there not be so many two-week tournaments.

Pegula praises Sorribes' match at Wimbledon

Today's match against Sara was very challenging. It had been a while since I played against her, especially on grass. Yes, she uses a lot of slice, has an excellent technique. The first set was very tight; she played well, and I had ups and downs, but somehow I managed to win the tiebreak and pull away a bit in the second set, playing much better.

Change of venue for the WTA Finals

The saga of the WTA Finals continues. It seems like we never catch a break, and I don't necessarily think it's our fault. There are often many global conflicts that interfere. I knew that Indian Wells was an option. Regarding the organization of the event, I think they do a wonderful job every year. It was what the circuit deemed most appropriate, as there wasn't much time to find someone else to manage it, and knowing what they're doing isn't easy. They had the courts, the space, they know what they're doing there, and I hope it will be a great substitute for the Finals. It's a pity we couldn't finish in Riyadh on a high note, but well, these things happen. We just have to accept the decision. Hopefully, I can be there in November.

Pegula calls for changes in the two-week WTA 1000 tournaments

Ideally, yes, I would love that. I don't think players really like two-week tournaments. However, to be honest, I'm not sure if that will change. It's something that will need further consideration, I suppose that's what I mean. It can always change, but I don't think it will change quickly because obviously both sides of the circuit are involved. For us, it's about our commitments and all our mandatory events, and seeing if we can adjust some of those numbers so that players don't feel as much pressure. It's something we are looking into more closely. Changing the format of a two-week tournament quickly next year, I think that's a long-term decision. But in an ideal world, I would love for there not to be so many two-week tournaments.

Response to complaints about the calendar?

Actually, no, I haven't heard anything new. I think with the Finals, Valerie has been a bit distracted. So it's a bit funny. We are still waiting to get more information on that and get it going. It seems like there are a lot of things happening at once, but I haven't been told anything. I wish I could, but I know it's on the list of things to do after Wimbledon, hoping to provide more information.

Opinion on Claire Liu

Yes, I know her a bit. She's younger and has always been out west, so I don't see her much. I saw her name, saw she won and qualified. I'm really happy to see her succeeding. As you said, she was one of the top young players coming up, won the junior title here. I'm glad to see she's finding her rhythm. I know she's had a lot of injury issues and setbacks. I know her ranking was high for a time. I remember playing against her in Seoul, in a 250-point tournament, and I beat her in three sets. I think it was the year I won in Seoul. Since then, I haven't seen her much. It's always nice to see girls finding their way gradually. I think I identify with that.

Pegula reveals when her confidence changed

It was during the pandemic when I felt I could train a lot. Being in Florida, I could continue practicing and doing many things, and I came out of that situation with a very positive attitude. I told myself that my ranking was high enough, that I was going to play in many tournaments. I wasn't anywhere close to being seeded or anything, but I told myself none of those girls were going to want to be there, that there was no audience, that everything was hard, that you had to get tested. That there were a million things to complain about.

I remember getting in great shape. For starters, I was much healthier; I was in great shape. And I told myself I wasn't going to complain about anything and that I was going to go out there and be mentally stronger than anyone. I ended up winning many matches. Maybe it helped that there was no audience at that time because I could gain a lot of confidence without having to play important matches in a full stadium, where I probably would have been more nervous.

In that sense, it helped me build a solid foundation to establish myself as an elite player since then. So, it just worked for me. Staying healthy is important. I think over the last two years, I've worked a lot on my serve. It was already improving last year, but this year I feel it has taken a leap, allowing me to lead in aces in some tournaments, and I think that represented a big breakthrough in winning a much higher percentage of points with my first serve. And of course, keeping my mobility in top condition.

I'm not 20 years old, so I have to make sure I'm healthy and train as much as possible in the gym. When I take care of all that, I feel much more confident on the court. I just go out and try to be myself. It's true that I got frustrated at the end of today's first set, but I consider that I'm very good at knowing what I need at each moment. For example, at that moment, I needed to get a bit mad at myself. Sometimes I know I need to be very focused. Sometimes I need to be more positive, I need to show more energy. I just try to be myself, and I trust a lot in my personality, in who I am, and in what I need.

Expectations for Wimbledon

Right now, you're about to go home, and at the same time, you're about to enter the second week, where you feel you're really in the game and have a real shot at the title. Right now, I think it's still quite fresh, but at the same time, I think you feel pretty good about yourself for having gone through two matches in a Grand Slam. I know there are no rest days here, but the WTA 1000 tournaments for two weeks now seem endless. So I think, in a way, that has prepared us to understand the mentality needed to get through those long weeks, especially in a Grand Slam. It can be mentally exhausting, but I think it helps in some way.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Pegula opina sobre el polémico cambio de sede de las WTA Finals

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