Jessica Pegula, the world’s wealthiest tennis player, is poised to increase her billionaire fortune after triumphing over Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling semi-final match at the Wuhan Open.
The 31-year-old American has secured herself a minimum of $350k by advancing to the tournament’s final following an intense final set. Sabalenka narrowly escaped disqualification after she hurled her racket in frustration.
Pegula emerged victorious from a tense showdown with Sabalenka, bouncing back from a first-set loss of 6-2 to win the next two sets 6-4, 7-6, setting up her spot in the tournament’s final where she’ll go head-to-head with fellow American Coco Gauff tomorrow.
While she hasn’t yet claimed a Grand Slam title, Pegula boasts an impressive estimated net worth of $15million and stands to pocket an additional $590k if she bests Gauff in the final.
Pegula is also set to inherit a staggering fortune from her father, oil tycoon Terry Pegula, who has a reported net worth of $7 billion, ranking him as the 373rd richest person worldwide, according to Forbes.
Her 73-year-old father, owner of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, also possesses a stunning $76M superyacht named Top Five II, which his children are slated to inherit.
Despite her father’s immense wealth, Pegula has carved out her own extraordinary career and currently holds the sixth rank globally.
She defeated Hailey Baptiste in the round of 32, before overcoming Ekaterina Alexandrova in the round of 16.
Pegula staged a comeback after losing the first set, defeating Katerina Siniakova 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 to set up a semi-final showdown with Belarusian Sabalenka.
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In a dramatic turn of events, Pegula overcame a 5-2 deficit in the semi-final against the world number one, ending her streak of four consecutive losses to Sabalenka.