Jessica Pegula storms back to win 2025 COCO

Jessica Pegula reached a career milestone with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over fellow American Sofia Kenin to win the 2025 Credit One Charleston Open.

 

The top-seeded Pegula survived a 5-1 deficit in the decisive second set against the 2020 Australian Open champ to earn her first clay-court championship on April 6.

 

She also became the top American on the WTA Tour, checking in at World No. 3 when the latest rankings were released later in the day following the first all-American final in the Palmetto State since 1990. That showdown featured Jennifer Capriati vs. Martina Navratilova. Navratilova, who became a U.S. citizen in 1981, captured the 1990 championship.

 

Pegula is no stranger to South Carolina.

 

As a youth, she refined her game by attending the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy on Hilton Head Island. Her family eventually moved from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Hilton Head Island. After about five years, the Pegulas moved to Florida.

 

Pegula is also no stranger to Daniel Island.

 

Playing in her seventh main draw and 11th tournament overall on Daniel Island, the 31-year-old Pegula came full circle on a brilliant and sunny Sunday with a big, energetic crowd on hand at Credit One Stadium as the tournament celebrated the conclusion of its 25th year on Daniel Island.

 

The original stadium, best described as Erector Set architecture, underwent an estimated $42 million renovation, completed in 2022.

 

That project turned the stadium into a hip, outdoor tennis palace that also could serve up world-class concerts. The transformation was primarily funded by Ben and Kelly Navarro. The massive upgrade of the entire facility paved the way for the tournament to become the top WTA 500-level tournament for three straight years.

 

Pegula earned a cool $164,000 for a week’s worth of work and wins. The prize money for this year’s tourney totaled $1.164 million.

 

Before Sunday’s championship, owner Ben Navarro announced the tourney will up its ante in 2026, increasing its prize money to more than $2 million, the same amount of money as a men’s ATP 500-level event.

 

The Charleston Open will be the first standalone WTA 500 tourney to increase its prize money before a target date of 2033, when all weeklong WTA 1000 and 500 events will pay the same prize money to both women and men.

 

Pegula, dressed in Adidas, was all smiles with the championship trophy to her right and her dog, Maddie, on her lap at the post-match press conference. She reflected on her career and relished the triumph on Daniel Island.

 

She also told the media she heard the news about the prize money.

 

“I was like, ‘Not this year? Not the year I won it? Come on.’

 

“No, I’m just kidding,” Pegula said with a laugh.

 

“I think that’s amazing,” she continued. “I mean, what Ben Navarro and the Navarro family have done for tennis in the U.S. and women’s tennis is really incredible. And, I think he’s been inspired by seeing how well (his daughter and COCO player) Emma has done and how much women’s tennis can really, really grow; and her being a superstar in her own right.

 

“I’m sure she’s going to probably win this title at some point, and that’ll be really cool,” Pegula continued. “But I think her story has probably really inspired him to grow the sport, and I think that’s amazing, having a daughter that is as successful as she is. It’s cool to see him support that sport. And sometimes, that’s all it takes, and I think that’s amazing... and I think when you’re setting that tone, that sets a trend for other tournaments to do.”

 

The tournament, with an incredible past, also is an inspiration for the future of women’s tennis.

 

“At the Credit One Charleston Open, we believe in fostering an environment where all athletes are recognized and rewarded for their talent and dedication,” Navarro said in a press release. “We are proud to take this action as part of our ongoing commitment to acknowledging the hard work and dedication of our athletes, leading by example for the next generation.”

 

The tournament, which began on Hilton Head Island in 1973 as the Family Circle Cup, has a history of being a trailblazer for women’s tennis. It was the first women’s tennis event to top $100,000 in prize money and the first to be broadcast live on network television. The just-completed tournament was broadcast worldwide for 77 hours.

 

“The Credit One Charleston Open has always been at the forefront of promoting women in sports, and we’re incredibly proud of our legacy,” Navarro said. “We’ve broken attendance records year after year, drawing more than 90,000 attendees and 26 million international television viewers.

 

“As North America’s largest women’s-only tennis tournament and one of the longest-running women’s-only events in professional sports, we’re not just celebrating the past – we’re actively shaping the future.”