Honestly, tennis is more of a young person’s game. The sport has seen countless teenage sensations break through and take the world by storm. Just recently, 19-year-old Jakub Mensik made headlines by winning the Miami Open. On the women’s side, another 19-year-old, Alexandra Eala, had an incredible run, knocking out Australian Open champion Madison Keys and World No. 2 Iga Swiatek. Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Emma Raducanu, and Aryna Sabalenka all became household names before they even hit their twenties. But there’s one exception to this pattern—Jessica Pegula. The Miami Open finalist is proving that peak performance doesn’t have an age limit. Even Serena Williams’ former coach is in awe of what she has achieved.

Pegula didn’t have her big breakthrough until the 2021 Australian Open, where she reached the quarterfinals—just weeks before turning 27. At the time, she was ranked outside the top 60, but she finished the year at No. 18. The momentum only picked up from there. In 2022, she made the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open. That same year, she secured the biggest title of her career by winning the WTA 1000 Guadalajara Open. By the end of the season, she climbed to a career-high ranking of No. 3.

Since then, the American tennis star has been a consistent force on the tour, winning seven singles titles. The 31-year-old even reached the US Open final last year but fell short against World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Her latest run at the Miami Open was no different. She took down tough opponents like Anna Kalinskaya, Marta Kostyuk, Emma Raducanu, and Alexandra Eala to book a spot in the final. Once again, she faced Sabalenka, and once again, she fell short.

Pegula has also made her mark in doubles. She won the French Open in 2022 and has collected seven WTA doubles titles, climbing to the No. 1 doubles ranking in 2023. Her all-court understanding has made her a nightmare for opponents in both categories.

Her achievements haven’t gone unnoticed. Serena Williams’ former coach Rick Macci took to X  to praise her and wrote, “Age 31 the Buffalo Blaster is really the American Master ranked number 3 on the Planet because her mind and strokes are like Granite. Has been ranked number 1 doubles and understanding of the court gives others troubles. Not where you start it is where you finish. @JessicaPEG.”

Pegula’s roots in Buffalo, New York, earned her the nickname “Buffalo Blaster.” Her parents, Terry and Kim Pegula, own the Buffalo Bills (NFL) and Buffalo Sabres (NHL), making her one of the few professional athletes with billionaire parents. But she has earned her success on her own terms.

Currently ranked No. 4 in the world, Pegula has her sights set on reclaiming her career-high No. 3 ranking. Coco Gauff exited the Miami Open in the fourth round for the second straight year, keeping her at 6,063 points. Pegula, on the other hand, has narrowed the gap with 5,796 points. The race for the US No. 1 ranking is heating up.

And she’s wasting no time in chasing it. Pegula has already arrived for the clay season, leading the field at the Charleston Open as the top seed.

Jessica Pegula enters as top seed at the Charleston Open

This will be Jessica Pegula’s 11th time competing in Charleston, a tournament she first played in 2011 as a qualifying wild card ranked No. 528. Her best runs came in the past two years, reaching the semifinals both times. Last year, she skipped much of the clay-court swing due to injuries, prioritizing her health for the grass season.

This time, she’s ready to make an impact. “I know I’m known more for being a hard-court player,” Pegula said. “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.”

The American will open her Charleston campaign on Wednesday. She will either go up against Heather Watson or a qualifier. Jessica Pegula’s journey proves that success doesn’t have an expiration date. Can she carry this momentum through the clay season?