Back-to-Back: Jessica Pegula Defends Title at 2026 Credit One Charleston Open

AMERICAN FIRST REPEAT WINNER SINCE SERENA WILLIAMS IN 2012-13

All those nail-biting three-setters were worth it in the end.

On Easter Sunday at the Credit One Charleston Open, top seed Jessica Pegula defeated surprise finalist Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine, 6-2, 6-2, becoming the first player to defend their title on Daniel Island since Serena Williams in 2012-13.

After going the distance in each of her first four matches this week, Pegula finally got the straight-sets win she had so craved. It’s the American’s second title of 2026 after Dubai, and the fourth of her career at the WTA 500 level. The uber-consistent world No. 5 has reached the quarterfinals or better in her last 10 tournaments, and now owns a tour-leading 24 match wins on the year.

“It was definitely a tough path last year and this year,” said Pegula, who spent more than 13 hours on the court this week between singles and doubles. “I think sometimes when you win a tournament, you kind of romanticize it, like it was so easy. It’s usually not. There are usually some days when it’s really hard. I think I shifted my mindset coming back and defending.”

Starodubtseva, a former standout at Old Dominion University, was appearing in her first tour-level final. The 26-year-old baseliner wasn’t even in the main draw until Amanda Anisimova’s last-minute withdrawal made a spot available.

Coming into the match, Starodubtseva, who a day earlier stunned fifth seed Madison Keys in the semifinals, said there was “nothing to expect but fight” from her opponent. She was right about that. Pegula all but took the racquet of her hand in the one-hour, 22-minute contest, making good on five of six break-point opportunities.

“I think it was the best level that I showed today,” said Pegula. “I’m happy that I was able to do that in a final, being up a set and 5-0. I didn’t want to get into this storyline of me having to grind out a match. It’s definitely a huge relief. It’s nice knowing that I can go home and relax for a couple of weeks before I have to start up again.”

“I really hope this was her best match this week. To be the only two-setter is not nice,” said Starodubtseva with a laugh. “She’s one of the players to look up to, one of the players to learn from. I can learn from Jess. I think she’s a great player. All the credit to her.”

“I was definitely nervous today. It’s my first final. I felt like over-stimulated the last three days. I couldn’t sleep properly. It’s been a lot around me for the first time. My thoughts kind of didn’t stop.”

Pegula joins an impressive list of women who have won this title more than once, including Williams, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Tracy Austin.

“Any time you can be somewhere in a stat with athletes like that, I think it’s incredible,” she said.

It was a life-changing week for Starodubtseva, coached by boyfriend Pearse Dolan and recent addition Eric Hechtman. Following her collegiate career, she briefly taught tennis at the Westchester Country Club in the suburbs of New York, and was only able to play low-level events with some help from a GoFundMe campaign. She hasn’t returned to her war-torn homeland, or seen her father or grandparents, in four years.

“I really miss home. It’s been hard,” said Starodubtseva, who’ll jump from No. 89 to No. 53 in the PIF WTA Rankings. “I keep thinking how to bring us all together, but maybe now it’s going to become easier, because I feel like a lot of it depends on the finances.”

Her run this week, one that landed her $218,225, might just change all that.