Jessica Pegula is close to winning her first Grand Slam title at the US Open, with the American set to face Aryna Sabalenka in the final this weekend
Jessica Pegula is on the cusp of making tennis history as she advances to the US Open final. The 30-year-old, who has yet to secure a Grand Slam title, will face Aryna Sabalenka in the final this weekend. While a victory would mark a significant achievement for Pegula, it won’t have a major financial impact.
The winner of the match will receive a substantial $3.6 million (£2.7 million), but for Pegula, this amount is relatively minor. This is because her father, Terry Pegula, a business magnate who owns the Buffalo Bills NFL team among other investments, has an estimated net worth of $7 billion (£5.3 billion).
Jessica is set to inherit a considerable portion of this wealth, but she is financially independent. Throughout her career, she has earned over £10 million in prize money and will add at least another $1.8 million (£1.4 million) to her earnings this weekend, irrespective of the match’s outcome.
Pegula’s standout performances at Flushing Meadows have been somewhat surprising given her recent struggles. This year has been tough for her, with early exits from the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the Olympics.
However, the New York native has lost only one set on her path to the US Open final, which came during her semi-final win against Karolina Muchova. She began her tournament with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Shelby Rogers, followed by a 7-6, 6-3 win against Sonya Kenin, who had previously defeated Emma Raducanu.
Pegula continued her strong run with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the third round, and a 6-4, 6-2 win over Diana Shnaider in the fourth round. In a key moment of the tournament, she convincingly defeated World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals.
The victory not only marked a win over one of the tournament favorites but also secured her first-ever appearance in the semifinals of a major. Previously, Pegula had been eliminated in six quarter-finals between 2021 and 2023.
Her father, Terry Pegula, listed by Forbes as the 373rd-richest person in the world, built his fortune in the oil and gas industry. He now owns several sports franchises, including the Buffalo Bills in the NFL, the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL, the Rochester Americans in the AHL, and the Buffalo Bandits in the NLL.
