Despite her billionaire background, tennis star Jessica Pegula has revealed that capturing Olympic gold remains her ultimate “dream.” The 30-year-old, whose parents own the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, has a family net worth of around £5.4 billion. However, her immense wealth hasn’t dulled her drive or passion for achieving success on the tennis court, particularly at the Olympic Games.
Pegula recently shared her Olympic aspirations on social media, responding to a post by Mallory Swanson, a member of the USA women’s soccer team who won gold in Paris. Swanson had posted a quote from her high school yearbook where she expressed her dream of winning an Olympic gold medal. In response, Pegula simply wrote, “A girl can dream,” highlighting her deep desire to reach the Olympic podium, a goal that transcends her financial status.
Pegula’s quest for Olympic glory, however, met with disappointment at the Paris Olympics. Entering the tournament as the fifth seed and ranked sixth in the world, she had high hopes of making a strong run. She managed to defeat Viktorija Golubic 6-3, 6-4 in the first round, but her journey was cut short in the second round by Elina Svitolina, who won 6-4, 1-6, 3-6. Her doubles campaign, alongside Coco Gauff, also ended prematurely as they lost in the second round to the Czech team of Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova, 6-2, 4-6, 5-10.
Despite these setbacks, Pegula’s Olympic aspirations remain undeterred. Her career has been marked by consistent performances, including six quarter-final appearances in all four Grand Slam tournaments and runner-up finishes in the doubles at the French and US Opens. Yet, her accomplishments on the court are often overshadowed by the wealth of her parents, Terry and Kim Pegula, who made their fortune in the oil and gas industry.
Pegula’s immense family wealth, which makes her richer than sporting legends like Cristiano Ronaldo, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic combined, has at times been a point of contention. In the Netflix series “Break Point,” Pegula addressed the perception that her success is purely a product of her family’s wealth. She clarified that her family’s financial status didn’t significantly change until she was 17 or 18 years old, and emphasized that her father’s strict, old-school approach instilled a strong work ethic in her from a young age.
“My dad was probably more hard on me than my mum, the more old-school one pushing me. They gave me a great childhood and instilled a lot of work ethic in me,” Pegula stated, dismissing the notion that her journey to becoming a top tennis player has been easy due to her family’s wealth.
As Pegula continues to strive for success on the court, her Olympic dream remains a powerful motivator. For her, winning an Olympic gold medal would be the ultimate validation of her hard work and dedication, proving that some dreams are worth pursuing, regardless of one’s background.