Jessica Pegula Stuns Wimbledon, Reaches First Grand Slam Final in Epic Upset

American world No. 3 Jessica Pegula is back on home soil and ready to kick-start her summer hard-court campaign at the Mubadala Citi DC Open just weeks after a shock first-round exit at Wimbledon, where Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto sent her packing in straight sets. Pegula received a first-round bye in Washington, D.C. and will open on Thursday night against Canadian crowd-favorite Leylah Annie Fernandez—a matchup that marks their third career meeting and first on hard courts this season. With temperatures soaring and the stadium expected to sell out, the American is eager to regain the momentum she carried earlier this year when she captured the Bad Homburg trophy and briefly closed the gap on No. 2 Coco Gauff in the WTA rankings. Beyond Washington, Pegula’s calendar is packed. USA captain Lindsay Davenport confirmed this week that Pegula will headline a formidable Billie Jean King Cup Finals roster alongside Madison Keys, Emma Navarro, Hailey Baptiste and Taylor Townsend in Seville this November. The selection underscores the 31-year-old’s status as the anchor of Team USA and offers a chance to claim the nation’s first BJK Cup title since 2017. The highlight of her North American swing, however, will be the National Bank Open in Montreal, where tournament organizers have already billed Pegula, Gauff and reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek as the marquee trio for what is being called the deepest women’s field in event history. Pegula enters as the two-time defending Canadian WTA 1000 champion and could make modern-era history with a three-peat—a feat no woman has accomplished at the hard-court stop since it became a joint event. Keys to watch in Washington: Pegula’s newly sharpened serve-plus-one pattern, adjustments to humid conditions that often reward flat hitters, and her ability to neutralize Fernandez’s lefty angles. A deep run will not only pad her ranking points but also send a strong message ahead of Montreal, Cincinnati and the US Open. Search interest in “Jessica Pegula next match,” “Pegula vs Fernandez live,” and “Pegula Billie Jean King Cup lineup” has already spiked this week, and ticket demand for her Thursday night session is reported to be the tournament’s fastest seller. If Pegula converts that buzz into victories, the road to a historic Canadian three-peat and a potential BJK Cup triumph may start right here in the U.S. capital.