Thursday, April 3, 2025

WTA Charleston: Pegula vs Tomljanovic

🎾 WTA Charleston: Pegula vs Tomljanovic – Match Preview

🧠 Form & Context

🇺🇸 Jessica Pegula

  • 🎯 Charleston specialist: Back-to-back semifinalist here (2023, 2024), and yet to drop a set this week.
  • 🔥 On fire in 2025: 21 wins already this season—more than she had by August last year.
  • 📈 Confident and in control: Finals at the US Open, Miami, Toronto, and Austin since late 2024.
  • 🏆 Elite-level steadiness: Exceptional rally tolerance, return game, and footwork make her a nightmare on green clay.

🇦🇺 Ajla Tomljanovic

  • 🔓 Turning a corner: Broke a long drought vs top-50 players with a commanding win over Stearns.
  • 🌱 Charleston regular: Reaches the third round here for the fourth time but has never made it further.
  • ⚠️ Underdog resurgence: Playing her best tennis since 2022, mixing grit with intelligent defense.
  • 📊 Recent head-to-head: Lost to Pegula twice this year, but both matches were competitive and went the distance.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Pegula enters as the clear favorite thanks to her momentum, consistency, and history on Charleston’s green clay. She’ll aim to dictate with margin and precision, working Tomljanovic’s backhand and pushing her side to side.

Tomljanovic, however, is riding a quiet wave of confidence. If she serves well and plays assertive, first-strike tennis, she could trouble Pegula—just as she did in their previous two meetings this year.

The key difference may be Pegula’s superior rally tolerance and ability to raise her level in high-pressure moments. Tomljanovic will need to be nearly flawless to pull off the upset.

🔮 Prediction

Pick: Jessica Pegula in straight sets

Pegula’s top-tier consistency, court coverage, and recent head-to-head dominance should help her weather Tomljanovic’s resistance and book a return to the Charleston quarterfinals.

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