Jessica Pegula’s Serve Evolution Paying Dividends in 2026

Jessica Pegula is a constantly evolving force on the WTA Tour, and her ability to improve key elements of her game is the biggest reason she has been able to hold her place inside the Top 10 while continuing to threaten the elite.

This year, her serve has made the difference.

Long a reliable weapon, Pegula has made a concerted effort over the past few seasons to add variety from the service line—and the results are beginning to show.

The Buffalo native has been working with the “two Marks”—Mark Merklein and Mark Knowles—since February of 2024. Two years into the partnership, she credits them for the steady gains she has made on serve.

“It’s been a long process, honestly,” Pegula told Tennis Channel. “I changed my motion a couple of years ago, right before I started working with both of the Marks, and it’s been about finding that range. It’s not the same as when I first changed it—it’s kind of a hybrid now—but it’s about getting a feel for different spins and how to hit different serves.

“Honestly, it’s a lot of hours on the practice court, just getting a feel for different spins and different spots. It’s evolved where I got better at one or two serves, and then we slowly added more of the kick, more of a slice, and then a harder slice. It’s a lot of work, but I owe my coaches a lot of credit—especially Mark Merklein. We’ve spent a lot of time on the serve.”

Pegula, who defeated Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday to set a fourth-round clash with Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian, says her focus has shifted away from pure speed and toward placement and spin.

“I think before I was too focused on speed,” she said. “Now we really focus on the spins, and that’s actually helped my speed because I’m looser—my hand, my grip—and I’m more fluid.

PEGULA’S KEY SERVE STATS, PER TENNIS ABSTRACT, 2024-2026

“Now I feel like I have a bit of both. I don’t know if I’ll ever be serving 120, but my speed has picked up. I think of it like a baseball pitcher—I’m trying to mix spins and keep people guessing on where I’m serving.”

The numbers back it up. Pegula has improved across the board in 2026, highlighted by a rise to 63.2 percent of serve points won and 78.8 percent of service games held—her highest marks since beginning her partnership with Mark Merklein and Mark Knowles, and clear signs of a more effective and versatile delivery.

At 31, Pegula is currently the oldest player inside the WTA Top 10, and if her steady, detail-driven approach is any indication, she may well hold that distinction for some time. Her willingness to evolve—and to pursue incremental gains with purpose—continues to separate her in a game that rarely stands still.