Defending Champion Jessica Pegula Withdraws From Guadalajara Open

USA's No. 2 Jessica Pegula will miss next week's title defense at the 2023 Guadalajara Open in Mexico joining a handful of Top-10 players in skipping the penultimate WTA 1000 event.

The Guadalajara Open Akron is the second-last WTA 1000 event of the 2023 calendar and will be held from September 17th to 23rd. Pegula will join fellow American and newly-crowned US Open champion Coco Gauff on the list of absentees in the second edition of the event.

At least five of the world's Top 10 players will skip the event, due to scheduling and logistical complications. Pegula will focus on preparing for the upcoming Asia swing, playing tournaments in Japan and China, where the WTA Tour will make its first pitstop in the latter in four years.

Pegula won last year's Guadalajara Open which was the first WTA 1000 level event to be held in the city following the immense success of staging the 2021 WTA Finals. It was Pegula's biggest WTA title and replicated the feat by winning a second title in that category in Montreal this season.

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Pegula announced on her Instagram account that she would give this year's tournament amiss. She didn't explain her reasons as to why, but the emotional and physical toll of playing three competitions at the US Open probably had a lasting effect on her, and needed more rest time.

Pegula played in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles in New York, with her best result coming in mixed doubles alongside Austin Krajicek, finishing as runners-up. The 29-year-old also requested the tournament to send her a name bracelet which was shared on the Guadalajara Open's social media page.

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