**America’s Wealthiest Tennis Player, Jessica Pegula, Lends Private Jet to WTA Rivals in Display of Generosity**
Jessica Pegula, a name that resonates among tennis aficionados for both her on-court prowess and off-court fortune, has again drawn attention at this year’s Wimbledon for reasons extending beyond sport. The American world No. 3, although yet to clinch a Grand Slam title, remains in the spotlight not just for her skills but also for her staggering family wealth and generosity.
Pegula is widely credited as the wealthiest tennis player on the world’s professional circuit, owing much of her fortune to her father, Terry Pegula, a self-made billionaire whose ventures in the oil, gas and sports sectors have seen him amass an estimated net worth of £5.6 billion. Jessica herself already boasts a personal net worth of nearly £12 million and stands to inherit a substantial share of her family’s multi-billion pound legacy. Terry’s standing among Forbes’ 500 wealthiest individuals is further bolstered by his ownership of major US sports franchises, including the Buffalo Bills of the NFL and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
The Pegula family’s affluent lifestyle features luxuries such as a £58 million superyacht and a private jet. However, in a sport where wealth and privilege are not uncommon, Jessica’s recent actions have highlighted her willingness to share those luxuries for the benefit of her peers. This humanising gesture was evident at the ATX Open in Austin this past March, when Pegula, fresh from victory in the singles final, offered her private jet to other WTA finalists facing a taxing travel schedule.
After securing the Austin singles title with a win over fellow American McCartney Kessler, Pegula was faced with a logistical challenge shared by four other finalists – Zhang Shuai, Yue Yuan, Anna Blinkova, and Kessler herself. All five needed to journey over 1,200 miles to Indian Wells, California, in time for the start of the BNP Paribas Open, one of the WTA’s premier events.
Without a direct flight available, the players would have been forced into late-night layovers or lengthy detours via Dallas or Houston airports, risking their readiness for the upcoming competition. Demonstrating her empathy for the rigours of the professional circuit, Pegula delayed her own departure from Austin until after the doubles final had concluded. She then arranged for all of the players to travel together on her family’s private jet, ensuring everyone arrived in California well-rested and prepared.
The act of generosity did not go unnoticed. Zhang Shuai, one of the doubles finalists, expressed her gratitude via Instagram, praising Pegula for her kindness and sharing a snapshot of the jet. Her message struck a chord across social media: “She could have left right after her singles final, but she is such a selfless and generous girl…just wanted to appreciate and transfer the love.” Pegula responded warmly, revealing a sense of camaraderie that extends beyond the competitive tensions of the court.
Both Anna Blinkova and Yue Yuan echoed these sentiments, publicly thanking Pegula in their own online tributes. Such moments are relatively rare in elite sport, where individual ambitions so often eclipse gestures of shared support.
Despite the positive atmosphere fostered in Austin, Wimbledon proved less fruitful for Pegula and her recent travel companions. The American star, previously a quarter-finalist at SW19, made an unexpectedly swift exit in the opening round, falling to Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto in straight sets – a surprising outcome for the No. 3 seed. The defeat, coming in just 58 minutes, marked her earliest departure from a Grand Slam since the 2020 French Open and was exacerbated by a visible knee injury for which she played with heavy strapping.
Pegula’s fortunes in London may have faltered, but her reputation for generosity and humility remains unscathed in the eyes of her peers and tennis fans alike. In a sport dominated by fierce rivalry, such acts of kindness serve as a timely reminder of the enduring sportsmanship at its core – proving that, for some stars, true wealth is measured not only in their net worth, but in the character they display on the world stage.