Jessica Pegula: In Bloom - Issue #25
At the heart of one of the most hardworking and consistent tennis players on the WTA tour lies a grounded and down-to-earth young woman.
Written by Dove Sallow
Jessica Pegula. If you've been following women's tennis the last few years, you know the name well. The American is a five-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist, a one-time Grand Slam doubles finalist, and has reached a career-high ranking of #3 in the world. She is the epitome of consistency on the WTA tour. But outside her capabilities on the tennis court, Jess just so happens to be the daughter of Terry and Kim Pegula, the owners of the Buffalo Bills, who have an estimated net worth of 6.7 billion dollars. I'm sure you've heard the many overused and tired stereotypes about billionaire kids who are born into a family fortune (lazy, entitled, undeserving, etc.). But Jess proves every single one of these wrong. In an increasingly competitive WTA field, Jessica Pegula earned her rightful place at the top of women's tennis.
The American plays a unique brand of tennis in an era where the sport is dominated by powerful serves and relentless ball-bashing. Standing 5' 7" tall, Pegula takes on players with much greater height and wingspan, yet comes out on top more often than not. Her serve is not the fastest on tour, but every other facet of her game is fantastically polished and sharp. Jess hits one of the flattest balls on tour, but is by no means one of the hardest hitters. I've heard her style described as a "counterpuncher," but that doesn't sit right quite with me either. The American is aggressive, but plays high percentage tennis. Instead of aiming to hit winners line to line, she usually opts to move her opponents side to side with precision and moderate pace. I like to say that Jess plays "meat and potatoes" tennis. The pace is never overwhelming, but the flatness of her ball gives her an edge. Her ball skids more than any top player I can think of, particularly on fast hard courts. She's remarkably consistent and rarely makes a ton of unforced errors. Pegula knows that playing the percentages can be just as effective as hitting with overwhelming pace. She takes her opportunities when they come her way and never forces opportunities that don't exist. The American's return of serve is one of the best on tour. She attacks second serves routinely and gets a lot of first serve returns back in play, giving herself chances to break serve often (her 6-2 6-2 victory over current world #1 Iga Swiatek is an excellent example). Pegula's net game has also improved thanks to the wise decision to play more doubles with none other than Coco Gauff. She has no real holes in her game, which goes a long way in today's era that's defined by flashy tennis and lacking in consistency. Jess does not possess a major physical weapon, but she does everything extremely well. Her greatest weapon is her mind. She plays tennis the way the game was first played - with tactical prowess and intelligence.
Pegula had been on the tour for quite some time before finally hitting her stride. She was a good player with considerable talent, but hovered around the top 100 for a number of years. Jess enlisted Venus Williams' long-time hitting partner and coach, David Witt, in the summer of 2019. He instantly made a drastic difference in her game and the way she approached her fitness. Her first WTA title came in August of 2019 when she won in Washington. Winning her first title at the age of 25 was a sign that something had definitely clicked. Similarly to her compatriots Danielle Collins and Shelby Rogers, Jess gets better with age. 2021 was her true breakout year as she made her first Grand Slam Quarterfinal at the Australian Open. En route to that quarterfinal, Pegula knocked out former champion Vika Azarenka, former top 10 player Kristina Mladenovic, and 5th-seeded Elina Svitolina. She fell to her good friend and eventual finalist, Jen Brady. Pegula broke into the top 50 for the first time and began to tear through the rest of the field. She made the semifinals in Doha, quarterfinals in Dubai, 4th Round in Miami, quarterfinals in Rome, quarterfinals in Berlin, semifinals in Montreal, and quarterfinals in Indian Well. You're probably thinking "That's a lot of quarterfinals." Seven, to be exact. Jess finished the season in the top 20. The exemplary display of consistency Pegula showed throughout that entire 2021 season was stunning. And she really hasn't slowed down since. The American won her first WTA 1000 title in Guadalajara in 2022, reached her career-high ranking of #3, and also qualified for the Year End Championships for the first time in her career. Her 2023 season is already shaping up to be a good one as she has a W/L record of 8-2 so far, with her only losses coming to Grand Slam Champions Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka.
The only plausible explanation I can give for a player who's drastically improving past the age of 25 is that she's willing to put in the hard work. In order to be successful as a professional athlete, you have to really want it. That is certainly the case with Pegula. She plays each match with an admirable "do or die" attitude. The most striking thing about her is that she does not approach tennis like a woman who has a multi-billion dollar fortune to fall back on. And that's exactly how she had to approach tennis in order to become the player she is today. In addition, Pegula seems grounded and personable. The American started a charity called "A Lending Paw," which aims to rescue dogs and train them as service animals for people in need. They train dogs to be guides, diabetic alert animals, allergen detection animals, mobility animals, autism service animals, PTSD service animals, and even seizure response animals. Jess is also one of the most well-liked players on tour and is known for being a good sport. Vika Azarenka praised her earlier this year before they clashed at the Australian Open.
"She's a great friend of mine. I absolutely adore her. We have really tough battles every single time. We practice with each other. There's going to be no surprises absolutely. Also, like, it's going to be tough, it's going to be a lot of rallies, the ball is going to be low. Doesn't really make it easier to think that I know who I'm playing."
Not only has Pegula won the respect of her peers and befriended many; she has an understated and relaxed personality that makes me feel like not just a fan, but also a friend. It might be a bit off topic, but she seems like someone who doesn't judge and is easy to talk to. One of the most iconic moments of the 2022 season was Jess cracking open a Heineken to soften the blow of her loss to world #1 Iga Swiatek in the US Open semifinals.
"I'm trying to pee for doping," she charmingly joked when asked about the beer. "Although it does help ease the loss."
In regards to where her work ethic comes from, Jess is not shy at all in saying it comes from her mother, Kim.
"My mom is the president and owner of both the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills. She loved to work. She did everything and our family constantly told her how she needs to slow down and take time for herself. She was the woman behind my dad’s success and my dad would happily admit that. She jumped into this journey with him and learned many lessons along the way, breaking a lot of barriers. She was the shift in culture, positivity, and the heartbeat of many of the employees. She gave everyone so much of her time and effort. She lived it and loved it, and it was felt by everyone she met."
This is an excerpt from the beautiful piece Jess wrote for The Player's Tribune regarding her mom's current health struggles. Kim Pegula went into cardiac arrest in June and is still fighting hard to overcome speaking and memory issues. Upon reading the entire piece, I felt an instant sadness and connection to Jess and her family. Like Pegula, my mother is also a hard-working Korean woman who puts her heart into everyone and everything. She's always encouraged me to fight for my dreams and that if I'm going to do something, I must do it with my entire being. The thought of losing touch with my mom in the way that I know her would be earth-shattering. I have an enormous amount of respect for Jess for being able to stay composed on the biggest stages of tennis while simultaneously having her heart somewhere closer to home - with her mother.
In many ways, Jess' life seems so far out of the realm of what's deemed "normal." One of the best tennis players in the world. Heiress to a 6.7 billion dollar fortune. But what do you get when you strip all that back? You're left with a woman who's dared to remain humble and has kept her heart open. From her charitable work to the way she articulated her mom's health problems, she's more than just a tennis player... more than just an heiress. Like the rest of us, she's a person with ambitions, hopes, and real-life problems. I am baffled by Jess' bravery in sharing her mom's story and her strength to keep playing tennis. She reminds me that we aren't defined by our problems. We are defined by how we conduct ourselves in the most trying times of our lives. Life is not a cakewalk, no matter who you are. Whether you're Oprah Winfrey or Roger Federer, you got there because you overcame something. Jessica Pegula is no exception. To discredit her accomplishments because of her background would make you foolish. And to neglect seeing all that she is as a dedicated and warm young woman would be your loss.
Want to keep up with Jessica Pegula? Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
