No, I don’t have a butler, says billionaire’s daughter Jessica Pegula
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Jessica Pegula's father Terry owns the Buffalo Bills NFL team as well as the NHL's Buffalo Sabres.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NEW YORK – Jessica Pegula wants to be known for her tennis and not anything else, especially not for being a rich man’s daughter.
The American says she finds it annoying that some fans believe that she has servants waiting on her hand and foot, just because her father is a billionaire sports mogul.
The 30-year-old Pegula is an accomplished professional tennis player in her own right, and on Sept 2 showed off her credentials by reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open.
However, she has found it almost impossible to separate her fortunes from those of father Terry, who owns the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills, as well as National Hockey League side Buffalo Sabres.
Forbes estimates the oil and gas magnate’s net worth to be US$7.7 billion (S$10.1 billion).
“I did some media thing the other day. They were asking me like, ‘What’s the most annoying thing?’” said sixth-ranked Pegula, who has made almost US$15 million from her on-court career, which has yielded six WTA Tour titles.
“It’s that people think I have a butler, that I get chauffeured around. I have a private limo, that I fly private everywhere. I’m definitely not like that.”
She added: “It’s a little annoying, but honestly I just think it’s kind of funny because I don’t really even know anyone that lives like that. It’s outrageous.”
Fans’ curiosity about her private life was piqued last week when she shared images of herself opting for a New York subway train rather than a car to beat Manhattan’s clogged roads.
“My agent makes fun of me for not wanting to take a nice car,” said Pegula in an Instagram reel she posted documenting her commute.
Her fellow quarter-finalist and compatriot Emma Navarro can empathise.
The 23-year-old New Yorker, who competed in her first US Open quarter-final on Sept 3, is the daughter of former Citigroup vice-president Ben, the founder of Sherman Financial Group.
His fortune is estimated by Forbes to be US$1.5 billion.
Privately educated Navarro is ranked 12th in the world and made the US Open quarter-finals by defeating reigning champion Coco Gauff.
She has made nearly US$2.5 million in her fledgling playing career and won one professional title.
“I have to give a lot of credit to my dad.
“He’s probably the smartest guy I know and has dropped a lot of knowledge and wisdom on my siblings and I over the years,” said Navarro in a recent interview.
“He’s taught me a bunch about the perspective I need to take.”
The two players have learnt over the years that flaunting their families’ wealth is not the way to go and they need to focus solely on their tennis.
Navarro took on Spain’s Paula Badosa with the result of their last-eight clash not available at press time, while Pegula will next face world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland on Sept 4. AFP
