The Wimbledon season is here, and the hunt for the ultimate grass-court glory is on. In the tournament, players will be determined to give their all and accomplish a chance to touch the title with their hands. One of those stars is Jessica Pegula. Having made her way onto the courts after an injury forced her to skip the clay swing, she did not waste any time and found her momentum quickly.

Coming into Wimbledon, she will be looking to give her everything. However, her journey to the final won’t be easy at all. Standing her way in the first round itself is fellow compatriot Ashlyn Krueger. With the stage set for an all-American encounter, only one among the two stars will get into round 2. But who will it be?

Ashlyn Krueger vs Jessica Pegula: Preview

Currently ranked 5th in the world, Jessica Pegula enters Wimbledon with a record of 19 wins and 8 losses in 2024, including 5 victories on grass courts. Her season’s standout moment came at the Berlin Open, where she came out on top of Anna Kalinskaya in a thrilling final, showcasing her resilience after returning from a back and neck injury earlier in the year.

Despite a recent setback at the Rothesay International against Emma Raducanu in the quarter-final, Pegula remains a formidable force known for her powerful game. In a complete neck-to-neck match, it was the British star who made her way into the semis of the tournament with a 4-6, 7-6, 7-5 win. Pegula managed 6 aces but hit 7 double faults. After landing 58% of the first serves, she won 63% of the points, with 55% on the second serve. She took 6/14 break points, but she was also broken 6/11 times.  

On the other hand, her opponent, Ashlyn Krueger, ranked 75th in the world, heads into Wimbledon after a recent loss to Leylah Fernandez in Eastbourne. Her 2024 record stands at 17 wins and 17 losses, with 4 wins on grass courts. Krueger began her grass-court Swing at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham, where she started strong with a straight-sets victory over Wang Yafan before falling to Francesca Jones in the next round.

Moving on to the Rothesay International in Eastbourne, Krueger made her way through qualifiers with wins over Eden Silva and Ella McDonald. She was impressed with a first-round victory against Viktorija Golubic but faced a tough defeat by Leylah Fernandez in the following round. Against Fernandez, she landed 2 aces and hit 4 double faults while only managing to win 53% of points on first serve, with 40% on second serves. She could not convert any breakpoints while giving 5/12 to Fernandez.

Krueger vs Pegula: Head-to-head

When it comes to the head-to-head stats between the two players, Jessica Pegula has the slightest of advantages over her compatriot. The only time when the two stars came head-to-head was back in 2023 at the Seoul Open. Pegula came out on top in the match and has since then managed to maintain a 1-0 head-to-head lead.

• WTA Korea Open 2023

The match was a cakewalk for Jessica Pegula, who came out on top with a straight-set win over her opponent. The final scoreline of the match was 6-3, 6-1 in favor of the American star.

Thus, while Krueger will be looking to equal the head-to-head scores, Jessica Pegula will be desperate to get her hands on yet another win between the two. That being said, who among the two looks in a hot spot to clinch the win?

Prediction: Jessica Pegula could clinch the win and make her way into the next round

The two American stars are set to produce a great encounter against each other. However, coming into the match, Jessica Pegula will be a clear favorite. Coming after her injury and achieving the title straightaway in Berlin will give her some much-needed confidence coming into the match. Also, having already secured a win when the two met earlier will boost her confidence.

However, Krueger, desperate to get her hands on the win, will do whatever it takes to give Pegula the taste of defeat. Thus, with the stage set for a thrilling encounter, who are you backing to come out on top? Do let us know about your thoughts in the comments below!