Jessica Pegula has been in red-hot form in the last few months. She has already made it to three finals this season, but she could only bring home the title once. After failing to clinch the title in Miami from such a close distance, Pegula said, “I know I’m known more for being a hard-court player…but I think I can do well on the clay too. So hopefully, with some of those intangibles that I have added to my game, that can help me have a good clay season.“

She is all set to start her clay court season as a top seed at the 2025 Charleston Open against the Belarusian player, Iryna Shymanovich. Can the American make a winning start to her campaign in Charleston, or will the relatively inexperienced campaigner force a massive upset?

Jessica Pegula vs. Iryna Shymanovich: Preview

Jessica Pegula has already won a title this season. She defeated her compatriot, McCartney Kessler, in straight sets at the final of the ATX Open. Later on, she even came closer to clinching the title at the Miami Open as well, but Aryna Sabalenka spoiled her plans by defeating her by 7-5,6-2. Can Pegula turn things around after just three days of that disappointing result in Miami?

Her opponent in this match, Iryna Shymanovich, has mostly played on the ITF Tour this season. Her best record in this season was reaching the final at the claycourt event in Vacaria. However, Shymanovich is currently on a three-match winning streak in Charleston. She defeated Heather Watson (GBR) in the previous round (R64) by 7-6(8),6-4. Can the 27-year-old Belarusian keep her winning run intact?

Jessica Pegula vs. Iryna Shymanovich: Head-to-Head

Well, Jessica Pegula has never faced Iryna Shymanovich in her career before. So, this will be their first meeting, and hence their H2H record is 0-0.

Prediction: Jessica Pegula to win in straight sets

Jessica Pegula (4) will start this match as a clear favorite against the number 215. She currently has a win-loss record of 20-6 this season, whereas it’s just 1-0 for Iryna Shymanovic in the main Tour. But the Belarusian has recorded 8-4 in the ITF this season as of now. Pegula had reached the SF here on two occasions (2023 and 2024), however, this will be her first clay court match in 2025. But on the other hand, Shymanovic has already played eight matches on this surface. The Belarusian has reached 12 clay court finals on the ITF Tour so far in her career and has won 8 titles.

Is it enough to keep her ahead of the American? Definitely not! Pegula will have a lot of support here, and this could well turn things a bit more difficult for the Belarusian. If we take a look at their playing styles, Shymanovich prefers playing on this surface. She is described as a ‘dogged competitor,’ indicating a strong fighting spirit on the court. She can bring a lot of variation into her game and can also switch from defense to offense rapidly.

On the other hand, Jessica Pegula is characterized by her powerful, flat groundstrokes, which she uses to control the baseline with unwavering consistency. She is also known for being an excellent tactician on the court. Pegula leverages her significant wingspan to cover the court effectively. Her biggest strength is the backhand down-the-line shot, which she utilizes effectively to dictate the rallies. So, considering all these factors, we feel it’d be a bit tough for Shymanovich to seal the deal in this epic battle.