Jessica Pegula Makes Honest Admission on the Two-Week Masters 1000 Format Ahead of the Canadian Open

Jessica Pegula hopes to recover the form that made her a US Open finalist last year.

Jessica Pegula Makes Honest Admission on the Two-Week Masters 1000 Format Ahead of the Canadian Open

Jessica Pegula (via X/CGTN Sports)

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Jessica Pegula, seeded third in Montreal, has been open about her concerns. She is coming off a tough loss to Leylah Fernández in Washington, where she was the top seed but lost in the round of 16. As she arrives in Canada, her focus is split between the tournament and the broader impact of the new format.

The expansion of the National Bank Open has stirred debate in the tennis world. The tournament’s main draw has increased from 56 to 96 players, and not all top players are pleased. Many are voicing concerns about how this change might affect their performance and preparation ahead of major events. Punto de Break reports the press conference.

I like the smaller tournaments, when they are fast, I feel like you can go and get it over with. Sometimes they get very long, especially before a Grand Slam, but I’m interested in them. This format is a bit different, it’s not exactly two weeks for each tournament, it’s 21 days between the two. Let’s say it’s a hybrid of what we saw with Madrid-Rome or Indian Wells-Miami. Honestly, I’m interested to see how it all turns out, how the players and fans feel, although I’m not a fan of the two-week format. The Slams already last two weeks, so turning every tournament into a Slam can be mentally exhausting, although I guess we’ll have to get used to it.

Pegula’s main concern is the timing. With the US Open approaching, she feels that longer tournaments may interfere with players’ ability to prepare properly. She believes that shorter events allow for more focused training and recovery ahead of Grand Slam tournaments.

In addition to the scheduling issue, Pegula mentioned the mental strain of extended formats. She feels that comparing these events to Grand Slams is not appropriate. Pegula is set to begin her campaign on July 29th, facing a qualifier who is yet to be confirmed.

Jessica Pegula embraces the pressure

Reigning champion Jessica Pegula enters the 2025 Canadian Open as a top contender. She is the two-time defending champion and has a strong record at the event. With a 17-2 win-loss record, Pegula has reached the semifinals in her first two appearances and claimed back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024.

Jessica Pegula
Jessica Pegula (Image via X/WTA Insider)

Everyone keeps reminding me of the opportunity to achieve a triple, but that is still far away, although I hope to find some magic here in Canada. At least, something similar to what allowed me to bring out my best tennis in recent years.

A third straight title would place Pegula alongside Monica Seles, the only player to win this event three or more times in a row. Seles claimed four consecutive titles between 1995 and 1998. Pegula’s form suggests she could join that elite company.

June was a turning point for Pegula, as she won the Bad Homburg Open by beating Iga Swiatek in the final. However, she lost her next match at Wimbledon in the first round to Elisabetta Cocciaretto. That sudden loss came just days after her title win in Germany.

Pegula also had a rough start to the North American hard-court season, falling in the first round at the DC Open to Leylah Fernandez, who went on to win the event. Speaking on the Canadian Open’s new two-week format, Pegula said she doesn’t support it and believes only Grand Slams should last that long.

How many points Jessica Pegula loses at the Canadian Open?

American star Jessica Pegula enters the Canadian Open as the defending champion, making this tournament particularly important for her. The event is a crucial part of the North American hard-court season and a key warm-up for the US Open. This year, the tournament runs over 12 days for the first time, beginning on July 27 and ending on August 7. In 2024, the event was held a week later due to the Paris Olympics.

Jessica Pegula (2)
Jessica Pegula (Image via X/WTA)

The revised schedule affects ranking points, as players will lose points from both the 2024 Canadian Open and the Washington Open if they competed in either. Aryna Sabalenka is one such example, having reached the semi-finals in Washington and the quarter-finals in Canada last year. As she’s skipping both events this year, she will lose 410 points but still keep her lead at the top of the WTA Rankings.

Coco Gauff only played in Canada last year, reaching the third round and earning 120 points, which she will now drop. Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini, and Elena Rybakina did not play either tournament in 2024, so they will not lose any points this year. Pegula, however, will lose the most—1,000 points—for winning in Canada, though she didn’t play in Washington last year.

Emma Raducanu didn’t compete in Canada last year due to her ranking, but played in Washington, where she made the quarter-finals and earned 108 points. She played again in DC this year and went further, reaching the semi-finals and gaining 195 points. Her 108 points from 2024 will be removed after the Canadian Open, while the 195 points from 2025 will be added to her total on July 28.