Jessica Pegula Sets Retirement Date and Names 1 Major Goal

Originally posted on Serve on SI | By Pat Benson | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 8:53 AM ET

Year in and year out, tennis fans have been able to count on the consistent play of Jessica Pegula. The American women's tennis star has been a consummate professional on and off the court, making her a fan favorite.

Unfortunately, the 31-year-old is much closer to the end of her career than the beginning. Pegula said as much during her recent interview on the Tennis Insider Club podcast.

Pegula elevated her status as an American icon by representing the United States in the 2021 and 2024 Summer Olympics. But will Pegula play in the 2028 Summer Olympics? Her hope is yes, as that ties in directly with her retirement plans.

"I definitely will not be playing at 35. Definitely not. That's when I for sure have to stop," said Pegula. "I think it would be cool to try to make the Olympics since it's in L.A. in a couple years. Three years is a long time, though."

Pegula continued, "I'm counting technically like two years. 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."

While we appreciate Pegula's candor, it is sad to think the end of her career is approaching so quickly. Luckily, there will be many more opportunities to see Pegula on the court as she maintains a packed playing schedule year-round.

Jess said her last goal before retiring will be the Olympics in 2028 :

« I will definitely not be playing at 35, i think it would be cool to try and make the Olympics » pic.twitter.com/eD4yqP4fvT
— Camille (@tenniscamfr) August 12, 2025

Pegula is currently competing in the Cincinnati Open. Her third-round match against Magda Linette was suspended due to the weather before the start of the third set. If Pegula wins, she will meet either Clara Tauson or Veronika Kudermetova in the fourth round of the WTA 1000 Masters event.

Pegula is the WTA World No. 4 with a record of 37-15 and three singles titles. With the North American Hard Court Swing hitting its crescendo at the US Open next week, fans can expect "J-Peg" to grab plenty of headlines with the American audience tuning into the action.

This article first appeared on Serve on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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