Jessica Pegula Withdraws from Singapore Open Amid Fitness Concerns
Jessica Pegula has withdrawn from the WTA 500 Singapore Open, scheduled to start on September 21, a decision that will raise more questions about her physical condition after a strangely subdued end to her US Open run.
The American, currently ranked World No. 3, never quite looked like herself in that semifinal defeat to Aryna Sabalenka in New York. The intensity, the court coverage, the usual sharpness on the backhand wing – all of it seemed dulled. She looked flat, low on energy, a step off the pace against the Belarusian.
Some pointed straight to Sabalenka’s level as the decisive factor. The Belarusian hit through her, dictated rallies, and suffocated Pegula’s counterpunching game. But for those who have watched Pegula closely over the past few seasons, the performance still felt out of character.
Mystery bandages fuel fitness concerns
The withdrawal from Singapore doesn’t come out of nowhere. Across her US Open run, Pegula appeared on court with unexplained bandages in different spots on her body.
In the quarterfinals, there was a noticeable bandage on her shin. By the semifinals, another one had appeared high on her leg near the quadricep. No official explanation followed, no injury detail, no clear indication that anything was seriously wrong. They may be minor, routine niggles. They may be unrelated to her decision to skip Singapore.
But at this stage of the season, when every ranking point matters and the tour calendar tightens, those small visual clues take on a different weight.
Pegula’s camp has not publicly linked the bandages or any specific injury to her withdrawal. Still, the decision to step away from a WTA 500 event suggests a priority: protect the body now to be ready when the stakes rise even higher.
Race to WTA Finals still in her hands
That bigger stage is the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, beginning November 8, where the top eight singles players of the season will battle for one of the sport’s most prestigious titles outside the Grand Slams.
Pegula, sitting at World No. 3, remains on strong footing in the race. Her body of work across the year has given her a cushion, and barring a complete collapse in form or extended absence, she is well placed to qualify.
She also carries the flag for American tennis alongside Coco Gauff in that elite chase. Gauff, ranked World No. 4, is the only other American woman currently inside the top eight in the race. Amanda Anisimova, at World No. 11, lurks just outside the cut line, needing a surge over the next two months to force her way into the conversation.
That is where the calendar tightens. There is still a significant chunk of tennis to be played before Indian Wells. Opportunities to gain points, but also risks of overloading an already weary body.
For Pegula, skipping Singapore may be less about one tournament and more about November. The question now is simple: will the reset be enough to have her fully firing when the season’s final showdown begins in the desert?
