Meet Jessica Pegula, the billionaire heiress fighting for her first Grand Slam title at the US Open

Jessica Pegula, a 32-year-old tennis player, is the No. 3 ranked woman in the world and one of the highest-paid female athletes, with career earnings exceeding $24 million. Born in Buffalo, New York, in 1994, Pegula moved to Boca Raton, Florida, in 2007. She trained with Dave Rineberg, a former hitting coach of Serena and Venus Williams, while attending high school online and later at the University of Pittsburgh.

Pegula's parents, Terry and Kim Pegula, are the billionaire owners of the NFL's Buffalo Bills and the NHL's Buffalo Sabres. Terry Pegula, a founder of East Resources and the Buffalo Sabres, purchased the Bills for $1.4 billion in 2014. Kim Pegula, also a co-owner of the teams, has been instrumental in her daughter's tennis career. Both parents faced health issues—Kim Pegula suffered a cardiac arrest and brain injury in 2022 and was not involved in executive roles thereafter.

Despite her family's wealth, Pegula has addressed criticisms about it, stating that her success is due to hard work, talent, and a strong work ethic, not her affluent background. She has reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, semifinals at the US Open and Australian Open, and semifinals at the 2025 US Open. Pegula has also won the 2018 US Open, 2019 Wimbledon, and 2021 US Open, reaching the quarterfinals in the 2021 Australian Open.