Jessica Pegula says no to playing tennis beyond 35 like Serena Williams or Venus Williams; even casts doubt on major US tournament in 2028

Jessica Pegula is not planning to play tennis beyond the age of 35 and wants to hang up her racket after fulfilling her last goal of competing at the 2028 LA Olympics. Pegula is currently competing at the Cincinnati Open, where she trounced Kimberly Birrell in the second round.

During her appearance on the Tennis Insider Club podcast hosted by Caroline Garcia, the American No.2 hinted at her possible retirement after fulfilling her Olympic goal at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. She also revealed that she has no plans to compete at 35 like the legendary sisters, Serena and Venus Williams.

"I don't, I would definitely not be playing at 35, definitely not. I think that's where I for sure have to stop. I think at 31? Yeah, I think it would be cool maybe like to try and make the Olympics, because it's in LA in a couple years. Three years, that's a long time, though."

"I'm counting technically like two years, because then you qualify, so I'll probably have an idea by then if I'm in or not. So we'll make it sound like two, it's three," she said.

Pegula has enjoyed another solid season in 2025 after reaching the US Open final last year. She won the ATX Open title and her first clay-court title at the Charleston Open, but hasn't had any success in the Grand Slams.

Following Cincinnati, she will be in contention at the final stop of the North American hardcourt swing at Flushing Meadows, where she narrowly missed the title in 2024 despite reaching a Major final for the first time.

Jessica Pegula on the issue of the US Open organizers not communicating the format change to the mixed doubles players

Jessica Pegula at the Cincinnati Open 2025 - Day 4 - (Source: Getty)

The US Open is set for a format change this year for the mixed doubles event. Under the new format, eight teams will come as wild cards, and eight teams will be selected based on singles rankings for the mixed doubles, and the two-day event will take place during Fan Week. These big changes were not informed to the players, nor made with any suggestions from them.

Pegula, who is also a member of the WTA's Player Council, was critical of the US Open for not communicating the new development, saying:

"We were like, Okay, you guys (US Open) just went rogue and changed the format and didn’t tell anybody. You just kind of did it. What do you even know? Did you talk to the players? Did you get their input about how it could be better?"

"I think that’s just something that we as players are trying to work with them on, having that line of communication be a lot smoother. I feel like maybe if there was feedback about the format, then the (reaction) would be a little different, not so all over the place," Jessica Pegula added via Tennis.com.

Jessica Pegula also clinched the Bad Homburg Open title this year by outclassing reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek in the final.