"Devastated" - Jessica Pegula mourns sudden passing of her dog Dexter, pens heartfelt note remembering his loyalty

Jessica Pegula has written a heartfelt note in memory of her beloved pet dog Dexter, after his sudden passing.

On Thursday, July 27, Jessica Pegula took to social media to reveal that her pet dog Dexter had died. Devasted by the loss, the top-ranked American revisited her fond memories with the German shepherd and posted a few pictures as well as a video clip of him. She called Dexter the “most loyal” being with the “best” heart.

“Dexter we love you so much and we are devastated to have lost you so suddenly. The most loyal man with the best heart,” she wrote on Instagram.

Pegula also made a vulnerable admission about her emotional state, confessing that Dexter’s passing had left a void in her heart and that she would never feel “whole” again.

“When you left you took a piece of me with you that won’t ever feel whole,” the World No. 4 said.

She also acknowledged other dog parents who have been through similar circumstances, and declared that the bond a person has with their dogs is “unmatched.”

“Sending love to all the ones that have lost their doggies, the bond you have with them is unmatched,” she added.

Jessica Pegula and her husband Taylor Gahagen are parents to two other dogs – a chocolate Labrador called Tucker and a miniature Australian shepherd called Maddie.

The WTA 1000 Guadalajara champion has been vocal about her love for dogs. She has also founded a dog rescue charity, ‘A Lending Paw,’ as a gift to her husband. The couple has been running the non-profit together with the aim of rescuing dogs, training them to become service animals, and delivering them to people who need service or therapy dogs.

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Jessica Pegula to headline the 2023 Citi Open in Washington

Jessica Pegula's dog Maddie stole the limelight during her maiden WTA title win in Washington in 2019

Jessica Pegula was last seen in action at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, where she lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Marketa Vondrousova.

Pegula will now kick off her North American hardcourt campaign at the upcoming WTA 500 Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington (July 31- August 6). This tournament is where Pegula won her maiden WTA title in 2019, ranked World No. 79.

The circumstances this time around are quite different for the American, who is now ranked World No. 4 and will be headlining the event as the top seed. With her sights set on her third career title and first of the season, Pegula would be keen to make her mark on the hardcourts.

As the defending champion in doubles, Pegula will also aim to repeat her success in that category this year. With hardly any points to defend from last year's singles event, where she crashed out in the second round, this is an opportunity for Pegula to further solidify her position in the rankings chart.