Pegula retains Charleston title for second 2026 win

Top seed Jessica Pegula defeats first-time finalist Yuliia Starodubtseva in straight sets.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:19am

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Jessica Pegula has won her 11th career title after retaining the Charleston Open championship with a comfortable 6-2 6-2 victory over unseeded Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva. The American world number five claimed her second title of the year following her triumph at the Dubai Tennis Championships in February.

Why it matters

Pegula's victory extends her lead atop the WTA leaderboard for most wins this season, further cementing her status as one of the top players on the women's tour. Meanwhile, Starodubtseva's impressive run to the final in Charleston represents a career-best result and a significant jump in the rankings for the Ukrainian.

The details

Pegula, the top seed, had to battle through four consecutive three-set matches to reach the final. However, she was able to comfortably defeat first-time finalist Starodubtseva in straight sets, saving seven of eight break points faced. Starodubtseva struggled with unforced errors, committing 41 throughout the match.

  • Jessica Pegula won the Charleston Open title on April 6, 2026.
  • Pegula also won the Dubai Tennis Championships in February 2026.

The players

Jessica Pegula

The 32-year-old American is the world number five and has now won 11 career titles, including her second of the 2026 season.

Yuliia Starodubtseva

The unseeded Ukrainian reached her maiden WTA final in Charleston, a career-best result that will see her climb to a career-high ranking of world number 53.

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What they’re saying

“Thank you to the fans who supported me throughout the whole week. There were many three-set matches. It's been such a long week for me, and you guys brought me through so many matches every single day. So thank you so much - I love playing here.”

— Jessica Pegula

The takeaway

Pegula's dominant performance in Charleston, where she dropped just four games in the final, underscores her consistency and ability to win titles on the WTA Tour. Meanwhile, Starodubtseva's breakthrough run to her first career final represents an important milestone in the young Ukrainian's development as a professional player.