Jessica Pegula Makes Frustrations Clear With Brutal Tennis Schedule Keeping Her Away From Family & Friends

Jessica Pegula is preparing for the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open. She lost to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in the Brisbane International semifinals on Saturday, January 10.

Kostyuk took control early and beat Pegula in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3. The American, who looked tired, struggled to match Kostyuk’s energy. As the Australian Open approaches, some have questioned Pegula’s fitness. Addressing some of these concerns on the “Changeover” podcast, Pegula recently voiced her displeasure at the taxing schedule and short preseason break in the run-up to a Grand Slam.

“There’s definitely not a long enough offseason. I think the two-week events have exacerbated it a little bit because, previously, slams used to be two weeks long, and that was a lot. You know, a lot is going on. So now we’re going into these other big 1000s, and now they’re also two weeks,” said Pegula.

“So you’re going two weeks, two weeks, and then into a slam two weeks. Mentally, it’s really tough. And I think that, along with that, and then obviously not having a long offseason, it just accumulates. And then after like a couple of years of playing that, it accumulates. You kind of hit your threshold. And I felt this was a lot,” Pegula added.

“Some people don’t understand tennis. It’s not that I love it and am thankful for it, but it doesn’t exactly contribute to a healthy life. You know what I mean? Like you’re in a lot of isolation, flying all over the world. You miss every family event, every friend event, like how many weddings I’ve missed from friends that I grew up with,” she concluded.

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Jessica Pegula Withdraws From The Adelaide International 2026

Both Jessica Pegula and Marta Kostyuk have withdrawn from the WTA 500 Adelaide International to focus on the Australian Open.

On Sunday, January 11, Pegula wrote on her Instagram story: