WATCH: Jessica Pegula can't stop smiling after ATX Open crowd's heartwarming gesture on her birthday
Jessica Pegula recently couldn't contain her smile after the crowd at the 2025 ATX Open sang "Happy Birthday" to her. Pegula celebrated her 31st birthday on Monday, February 24, 2025.
Pegula entered the WTA 250 hardcourt tournament in Austin after competing at the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships. She was seeded fifth at the tournament and she started her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She defeated Liudmila Samsonova 6-0, 6-4 in her opening match before falling to Linda Noskova 3-6, 6-7(8) in the third round.
At the 2025 ATX Open, Pegula is the top seed and she faced Arantxa Rus in the first round. Pegula was leading 6-3, 3-2 when Rus had to retire due to an injury on her left leg, allowing the World No.4 to advance to the second round.
During a post match on-court interview, the crowd surprised Pegula with a heartwarming rendition of "Happy Birthday," leaving the American visibly touched by the gesture.
Watch the video here:
Jessica Pegula's best performance this season came at the 2025 Adelaide International, where she finished as the runner-up, failing to claim the title after losing to Madison Keys in the final. On her way to the final, she had defeated the likes of Maria Sakkari, Ashlyn Krueger, and Yulia Putintseva.
Jessica Pegula will face Nuria Parrizas Diaz at ATX Open 2025 2R
![Jessica Pegula at the 2025 Qatar Open [Image Source: Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/d7081-17405896071146-1920.jpg?w=500)
Jessica Pegula will face Nuria Parrizas Diaz in the second round of the 2025 ATX Open. Diaz kicked off her campaign at the WTA 250 hard court tournament in Austin by defeating wild card Malaika Rapolu 6-2, 6-4 in the first round and in turn secured her spot in the second round where she will take on the World No. 4.
Pegula and Diaz have only met once on the WTA Tour, during the third round of the 2022 Australian Open, where the American emerged victorious with a score of 7-6(3), 6-2.
The winner of the second round match at the ATX Open between Jessica Pegula and Nuria Parrizas Diaz will advance to face either Tatjana Maria or Anna Blinkova in the quarterfinals.
Following the conclusion of the ATX Open, Jessica Pegula is scheduled to compete at the 2025 BNP Paribas Open which will take place from March 2 to March 16, 2025, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
In 2024, the World No.4 was seeded fifth at the WTA 1000 hard court tournament in California and she started her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She faced Anna Blinkova in her opening match and was defeated 2-6, 6-3, 3-6.
Aside from her singles matches, Pegula also participated in the doubles event at Indian Wells last year alongside Coco Gauff. The duo was seeded fifth and they defeated the American wild card pair of Sofia Kenin and Bethanie Mattek-Sands 7-5, 6-3 in the first round.
Pegula and Gauff then triumphed over Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk 7-6(10), 6-2 in the second round before falling to the pair of Asia Muhammad and Ena Shibahara with a score of 2-6, 4-6 in the quarterfinals.