Jessica Pegula Withdraws from WTA Finals after Knee Injury

Jessica Pegula ends her 2024 season by pulling out of the WTA Finals.

World No. 6 Jessica Pegula has withdrawn from the WTA Finals due to a knee injury. / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

It has been one of the best years of Jessica Pegula's career. Unfortunately for the World No. 6, her final tournament of the year will be cut short.

Pegula has withdrawn from the WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF due to a nagging left knee injury. She will be replaced in the Orange Group by the first alternate and World No. 9 Daria Kasatkina.

Jessica Pegula has withdrawn from the WTA Finals.

Daria Kasatkina will take her place to face Iga Swiatek in the Orange Group. 🧡 pic.twitter.com/zQMYeoHu2U

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) November 6, 2024

Pegula indicated that the injury was not sustained in Riyadh rather it just worsened during the WTA Finals. She said, "Just been kind of struggling with a little bit of an injury, and for whatever reason, it kind of really flared up this week."

Pegula continued, "Not really sure why. In the few days before practice, it felt really, really good, but it started creeping up right before my first match, and just feel like I'm not feeling comfortable moving on court."

Kasatkina will have the daunting task of stepping in to play World No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the final group stage match on Thursday.

Cool as you like 🧊@BKrejcikova takes the opening set 6-3 in 33 minutes against Pegula!#WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/jyHtFEng3U

— wta (@WTA) November 5, 2024

Swiatek won her first match against Barbora Krejcikova, then lost in straight sets to Coco Gauff, falling to 1-1 in the Orange Group. A win over Kasatkina combined with a win by Gauff over Barbora Krejcikova would send Swiatek into her third straight WTA Finals semifinal, where she would face World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka.

However, any other combination of results on Thursday would eliminate Swiatek and put Krejcikova through, along with Gauff, to the final four. 

Pegula ends her season with a record of 38-15 with two singles titles. She made her first Grand Slam finals appearance at the US Open in September. Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

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