Defending Charleston Champion Pegula Survives Marathon Opener

World No. 5 Jessica Pegula endures over 3-hour battle against Yulia Putintseva in Charleston.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 2:19am

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Defending champion Jessica Pegula of the United States survived a grueling 3-hour, 10-minute marathon match against Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan in the opening round of the Credit One Charleston Open. Pegula, the World No. 5, came back from a set down to defeat Putintseva 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 and advance to the third round of the clay court tournament.

Why it matters

Pegula's victory over the tricky Putintseva, who she described as a "nightmare" opponent on clay, showcases the American's mental toughness and ability to grind out tough wins even when facing an early deficit. As the defending champion, Pegula's progress in Charleston will be closely watched as she aims to successfully defend her title.

The details

Putintseva took the opening set 6-4, but Pegula fought back to win the second set 6-4 and force a decisive third set. The third set was a back-and-forth battle, with Putintseva nearly taking a 3-0 lead before Pegula rallied to go up 5-3. Pegula was unable to serve out the match when leading 5-4, but she secured another break to eventually clinch the 7-5 third set victory.

  • The 3-hour, 10-minute match was the longest of Pegula's career.
  • The match took place on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

The players

Jessica Pegula

The World No. 5 and defending champion of the Credit One Charleston Open.

Yulia Putintseva

A professional tennis player from Kazakhstan who gave Pegula a tough opening round match on the clay courts in Charleston.

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What they’re saying

“The last person I want to play on clay right now.”

— Jessica Pegula, World No. 5 player

“She's a nightmare. If there's one person in the draw I would really not want to play first match on clay, she would be number one. She's really tricky. I hadn't played her on clay before, so I knew it was going to be harder. I knew I was going to have to do some stuff that was different than maybe on a faster hard court. She was making me earn it.”

— Jessica Pegula, World No. 5 player

What’s next

Pegula will face No. 14 seed Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy in the round of 16 at the Credit One Charleston Open.

The takeaway

Pegula's hard-fought victory over the crafty Putintseva demonstrates the American's ability to grind out tough wins on clay, a surface that has historically been more challenging for her. As the defending champion, Pegula's progress in Charleston will be closely watched as she aims to successfully defend her title on the slow, demanding clay courts.