"Gifted the World No. 2 ranking to Coco Gauff" - Fans call out Jessica Pegula for missing 'huge opportunity' after shock Italian Open exit

Jessica Pegula suffered a shocking 5-7, 1-6 loss to Elise Mertens in the third round of the 2025 Italian Open. The result carries significant weight in terms of the WTA Tour's singles rankings. As things stand, Coco Gauff is set to become the new World No. 2, and unsurprisingly, several tennis fans delivered their reactions to Pegula's defeat. Pegula herself had a chance to become No. 2 with a deep run in Rome.

On Saturday, May 10, Pegula and Mertens clashed on Foro Italico's Center Court. The American and the Belgian played out a tight first set, but in the second, it was Mertens who asserted her superiority on the day. It wasn't as if Pegula didn't have her chances, but she simply couldn't take them. The American could only convert one of eight break point opportunities, while the Belgian made all four of hers count.

Rome Open R3: [25] Mertens def. [3] Pegula, 7-5 6-1 byu/pizzainmyshoe intennis

Tennis fans on Reddit had a field day reacting to Jessica Pegula's loss to Elise Mertens in the third round of the 2025 Italian Open. Some criticized Pegula, suggesting that she has handed the World No. 2 ranking to compatriot Coco Gauff on a platter.

"Gifted the World No. 2 ranking to Coco," a fan wrote.

"Jpeg unfortunately joining the ATP trend of missing a huge rankings opportunity," commented another.

"Jessica, the only solace I can offer is that clay season is almost over (and we'll always have Charleston to look fondly upon)," another fan chimed in, referring to Pegula's title triumph at this year's Charleston Open.

Here are some more reactions from fans to Pegula's third-round defeat in Rome:

"We’ll send Mertens a care package from Coco Gauff enterprises," joked one fan.

"Broke: get world number 2 to reach a new career high, Woke: get world number 2 to avoid being in the same half as world number 1 Sabalenka at the French open, Bespoke: stay world number 3 to avoid being in the same half as world number 4 Swiatek, JPeg with the 8D multiversal chess," another added.

"If jpeg keeps playing like this, I'm moving on to png's full-time," weighed in yet another fan.

Pegula's fortunes on the clay courts of Europe so far this year have been disappointing at best.

Italian Open exit marks latest low for Jessica Pegula amid European claycourt swing

Jessica Pegula during her third-round match against Elise Mertens at the 2025 Italian Open (Source: Getty)

Jessica Pegula began her 2025 European claycourt swing at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Here, she reached the quarterfinals before suffering a 0-6, 4-6 loss to Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Next, at the Madrid Open, the 31-year-old started brightly with a second-round victory against Eva Lys. In the third round though, she was on the end of a shock upset, with Moyuka Uchijima registering a surprisingly straightforward 6-3, 6-2 win over the 2024 US Open runner-up.

Pegula's latest disappointment at the Italian Open raises concerns ahead of her French Open campaign. The American's best finish at Roland Garros came in 2022, when she finished as a quarterfinalist at the prestigious claycourt Major.