Jessica Pegula And Jenson Brooksby Earn Big WTA And ATP Wins Over The Weekend

It was an excellent weekend for American tennis.  Two beloved tournaments, the Charleston Open and the US Clay Court Championship, held on clay in the United States, crowned two new US champions.

Jessica Pegula

A win that’s close to home for Jessica Pegula 👏🥹#CharlestonOpen pic.twitter.com/N4DOwvJOGT

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) April 6, 2025

Jessica Pegula won the Charleston Open.  It is her first-ever WTA tournament win on clay and comes exactly one week after playing in the Miami Open hardcourt final.  The Charleston Open is near and dear to her heart because she trained and lived in the Carolinas in her formative years.  With the win, she regains the ranking of top American and becomes the new World No. 3.  At 31 years of age, she has found the right balance of coaching, fitness, scheduling, and attitude to succeed on the WTA Tour at a high level.  Even if she never wins a Grand Slam, she has cemented her legacy as one of her generation’s most consistent American players.  With Madison Keys winning the 2025 Australian Open at nearly 30, the Grand Slam opportunity is still viable for Jessica Pegula, the 2024 US Open finalist.

Jenson Brooksby

Jenson Brooksby has lived with autism his whole life.

He was nonverbal until the age of 4 and was diagnosed on the severe end of the spectrum as a child.

For him to be a champion on the ATP Tour (in World Autism Month!) is nothing short of extraordinary. pic.twitter.com/8EyW1QYEYF

— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) April 6, 2025

Jenson Brooksby surprised many by winning the US Clay Court Championship in Houston.  It is his first ATP career title and first final on clay; his previous three ATP finals appearances were on hardcourt (2) and grass (1). Top seed Tommy Paul was the favorite going into the all-American semifinal weekend. However, Brooksby defeated Paul and Frances Tiafoe in back-to-back rounds to win the title.  He completes the American four-peat of the event following 2022-2024 champions Reilly Opelka, Frances Tiafoe, and Ben Shelton.

Brooksby’s win is perfectly timed.  He recently shared that he was diagnosed with autism at a young age. His big win in World Autism Month is inspiring and symbolic.  He is returning from nearly two years off the court for injuries and a suspension.  Jenson Brooksby, 24, has always been a talented player, but he is reemerging and putting his game back together quickly since returning to the ATP Tour.  Brooskby adds the talented pool of American men’s tennis players led by Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Brandon Nakashima, Alex Michelsen, and Learner Tien, to name a few.