SAN DIEGO -- Jessica Pegula can secure her first WTA Finals qualification this week at the San Diego Open, with the highest-ranked American in strong position to make the season-ending championships in both singles and doubles. 

Going into San Diego, Pegula and her doubles partner, Coco Gauff, sit at Nos.3 and No.4 on the Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard and No.5 in the doubles Race. Pegula bids to become the third WTA Finals qualifier after World No.1 Iga Swiatek and No.2 Ons Jabeur.

"It has definitely always been a goal [to play the WTA Finals]," Pegula, 28, told reporters at Media Day in San Diego. "I don't know if it was the main goal at the beginning of the year, but as the year went on it was definitely something we were working towards at every tournament."

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Pegula's campaign served as a response to her breakout 2021 season. Last year, she started the year ranked No.63 and went on to make her first major quarterfinal at the Australian Open and the quarterfinals or better at four WTA 1000s to finish the season at a career-high No.18. 

As she began her 2022 campaign, Pegula's ambitions were modest. 

"It's not like I'm 20 years old," Pegula told WTA Insider at the start of the season. "I'm a little older. I'm not a veteran, but kind of. So I don't think I feel so much pressure because I think I overachieved in most people's minds." 

"I think I have self-awareness of what's going on on tour and that really helps me mentally, always be prepared and on my toes and not get too comfortable."

Pegula's mild-mannered demeanor may have kept her under the radar, but it turned out her 2021 season was a springboard to greater success. In a season in which most of the Top 20 struggle with year-long consistency, Pegula never took a dip in form.

She returned to the Australian quarterfinals this year and added two more at Roland Garros and the US Open. All three times she lost to the eventual champion. She also made the quarterfinals or better at four of the six WTA 1000 events she played, including her first 1000-level final in Madrid.

"I feel like I really don't take any match for granted," Pegula said when asked about her consistency. "I think I'm really aware of other girls who aren't ranked as high, their results and how they're doing. I watch a lot of people so I'm never really surprised when I see someone that seems like a surprise."

"I think I have self-awareness of what's going on on tour and that really helps me mentally, always be prepared and on my toes and not get too comfortable." 

On Wednesday, Pegula faces CoCo Vandeweghe in her opening match in San Diego.