Top seed Jessica Pegula withdrew from the 2026 ATX Open on Monday with a left knee injury, with the defending champion exitng just days after winning her 10th career WTA title at the Dubai Championships.
The world No. 5 was scheduled to face Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova in her opening match. China's Yuan Yue subsequently replaced Pegula in the draw, with 18-year-old Iva Jovic taking over as the tournament's top seed.
"I am disappointed to not be able to defend my title in Austin," Pegula said in a statement. "I love this event and have such great memories from last year. Hopefully I can come back in the future."
The 32-year-old won five matches in five days during her Dubai title run, battling through back-to-back three-set victories at the WTA 1000 event. The WTA Tour's grueling schedule — the subject of recent controversy — may have contributed to her knee injury.
Pegula is currently riding 13-2 2026 record, with her only losses coming to Marta Kostyuk in the Brisbane semifinals and Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open semifinals. She's has now reached seven consecutive semifinals dating back to last year's US Open — the most by any player since Agnieszka Radwanska in 2016.
The US star dominated in her Austin debut last season. She dropped just one set en route to the 2025 title, after defeating McCartney Kessler 7-5, 6-2 in the final.
Discussing her durability after Dubai, Pegula noted that early-career injuries impacted her performances on tour. Despite the wear and tear, however, she said she feels as healthy as ever.
"I'm old, you can say it," Pegula laughed. "I don't feel that old because I had so many injuries in my early 20s... I was able to mature and find my game and believe in what I needed to do through the ups and downs."
What's next for Jessica Pegula on the 2026 WTA Tour
Injury depending, Pegula will next hit the court for the 2026 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on March 5th. She'll then return to the Miami Open on March 15th, looking to better her 2025 final appearance.
