World No. 3 and 2025 ATX Open Singles Champion Jessica Pegula Announces Return to Austin for Title Defense

AUSTIN, Texas – After winning the first All-American final in ATX Open history in March of this year, World No. 3 Jessica Pegula has announced her return to the Austin’s ATX Open at Westwood Country Club in 2026 to defend her singles title

DropShot, the tournament promoter, is excited to announce to Austin’s many passionate tennis fans that the fourth annual ATX Open will be held from February 21 – March 1, 2026.

Upon becoming the first player to commit to the 2026 ATX Open, Pegula said:

“I’m thrilled to be returning to Austin early next year. My first ATX Open was an incredible experience. I loved the fans and the energy they brought to Westwood. The competition was strong, and it was an honor to win the title against a talented field. The fans really embraced me with open arms. I can’t wait to be back in the capital of Texas, and to hit the courts there again in early 2026.”

Earlier this year, Pegula won the ATX Open singles championship in straight sets, defeating McCartney Kessler 7-5, 6-2. That match was the first WTA All-American final on U.S. soil since 2017.

Pegula, ranked No. 4 at the time, was the top seed in the ATX Open. It was her first title of 2025. She later won the 2025 Credit One Charleston Open. For her career, Pegula has won eight singles titles and seven doubles titles on the Hologic WTA Tour, including three WTA 1000 titles in singles and two in doubles.

As the largest women’s professional sporting event in Austin – and the only tour-level professional women’s tennis tournament held annually in Texas – the ATX Open has quickly established itself as one of the top 250-level women’s tournaments in the world.

On June 30, single session tickets and ticket packages will go on sale. Fans can visit ATXOpen.com for a full list of ticketing options, which will include:

• Single Session Tickets: Enjoy a day of action with access to one session of the tournament.
• Daily Doubles: Get access to both sessions of a single day for double the excitement.
• Duration Packages: Experience all the action with full access throughout the tournament.

“Jessica is one of the top players in the world, and we are delighted to have her returning to the ATX Open next year to defend her title,” said Tournament Director Christo Van Rensburg. “Her dominant tournament run here in 2025 was a clear reminder of just how tough a competitor she is, and how hard she is to stop once she gets rolling. With Jessica’s return to the ATX Open in 2026, our fans, sponsors, hosts at Westwood Country Club, and supporters across the city are getting a special treat. It promises to be the most competitive ATX Open yet.”

About the ATX Open
The ATX Open is a Hologic WTA Tour event, and the only tour-level professional women’s tennis tournament held annually in Texas. The fourth annual WTA 250 tournament will take place Feb. 21 – Mar. 1, 2026, at Austin’s Westwood Country Club, which will feature a 1,700-seat center court.

The tournament is one of four springtime, U.S.-based events on the 2025 WTA calendar and will be broadcast to a worldwide audience. A global field of WTA stars will compete in the 32-player singles and 16-team doubles draws. Operated by DropShot, LLC, the ATX Open is part of the suite of tournaments promoted by DropShot. It also includes a WTA 125 and men’s and women’s ITF World Tour events in Austin. For more information on the ATX Open, visit ATXOpen.com, @ATXOpenTennis on Facebook or @ATXOpen on Instagram and X.

About DropShot
Tournament promoter, DropShot, was founded in 2019 by Bryan Sheffield, founder and CEO of Parsley Energy (which was later acquired by Pioneer Natural Resources), Managing Partner of Formentera Partners, and Co-Owner of Austin FC. DropShot’s mission is to elevate tennis in the city of Austin and give rising players an opportunity to improve their world ranking by hosting men’s and women’s ITF World Tour events. DropShot’s crown jewel is a Hologic WTA Tour 250 tournament that debuted in 2023. In 2025, DropShot expands its footprint on the WTA calendar with the launch of the Austin 125, a brand-new WTA 125 tournament making its inaugural debut November 3–9, 2025, at the Austin Tennis Academy. For more information, visit DropShot, the tournament promoter.

About the WTA
The WTA is the original game-changer for women’s sport. Founded in 1973 by the visionary Billie Jean King, the WTA was created to build equal opportunities for women in tennis, and we’ve been breaking boundaries ever since. Today we’re the powerhouse of women’s professional sports, uniting athletes in fearless competition and bringing people together through the love of tennis. The Hologic WTA Tour shares the thrill of every serve, rally and match point with an audience of more than one billion around the world. Players compete for PIF WTA ranking points in tournament arenas on six continents before the season hits its peak at the WTA Finals, where the best singles and doubles superstars battle to be crowned as year-end champions. Our ambitions go well beyond the court. We are champions for our 1,600 incredible athletes and drivers of change through advocacy and action for women’s health and empowerment across the globe. Rally the world: wtatennis.com.