Jessica Pegula came agonizingly close to fulfilling her dream at the US Open. The 30-year-old defied all odds, thrilling fans with her remarkable run to the finals. But in the end, it was Aryna Sabalenka who claimed victory, winning in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5. While the loss stung, Pegula isn’t dwelling on it. Instead, the American star seems to have taken it in stride and is embracing the experience as fuel for her comeback. With a fresh perspective, Pegula is gearing up to play dominantly and is ready to battle the challenges that lie ahead of her. 

The American tennis sensation engaged in an interview with WTA tennis.com on Wednesday, September 25th. She deliberated on a wide range of factors including her performance at the US Open and her plans ahead for her career. Pegula highlighted that despite the initial heartbreak and the sorrow she faced after her defeat to Sabalenka, she has now moved on and is back with a fresh perspective. 

“Wow, you were so close to calling yourself a champion and now you’re calling yourself a finalist. And that kind of sucks,” Pegula said. She further highlighted that her run to the finals helped her overcome several odds. “But at the same time, I broke through a lot of barriers. After being upset for a couple of days, you come to the conclusion — everyone talking to you about it and telling you, No, it was a really great match. At the end, I’m at acceptance and appreciating the moment itself.” The season was indeed challenging for the American star, but to realize what she achieved at the US Open was necessary. Even though she couldn’t lift the trophy eventually, her run to the final was magnificent.

Jessica Pegula had to miss the French Open after playing the Billie Jean King Cup in April, citing injury reasons. “I’m just about back to practicing normal (haven’t had any issues for weeks) but played it super safe with recovery and return to play. If I had another 5-7 days, I would have been there 100%,” she wrote on Instagram. While the 30-year-old has baffled many opponents over the years and reached as high as No. 3 in the WTA rankings at one stage, she has failed to convert it into a Grand Slam victory. These challenges, in fact, forced her to mull over her retirement in the past. 

Speaking to journalists after qualifying for the US Open finals this year, Pegula opened up about the dark times of her career. “There’s definitely moments where I didn’t wanna play tennis. I didn’t really wanna do it anymore. I’ve definitely had several of those,” she said. And interestingly, Pegula has not just faced challenging times due to her professional endeavors but also due to her billionaire status. 

When Jessica Pegula vented frustration over bizarre criticism of her billionaire status

While it has taken Pegula immense hard work and a relentless pursuit for excellence to reach where she has reached, the critics have often targeted her for the billionaire status of her family. She eventually opened up on the bizarre criticism in an interview, as she said, “It’s kind of annoying 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,” per Express. “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.”

Remember, Jessica Pegula is the daughter of billionaire businessman Terry Pegula, who owns multiple sports teams, including the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. Recently, Forbes estimated his net worth to be around $7.7 billion, a majority of which has been amassed through his oil and gas business.

It doesn’t seem though that the unwarranted criticism that Pegula receives because of her billionaire family status affects her performance. She has gone from strength to strength in her career, especially in recent times. However, she would want to clinch a Grand Slam title soon, something which has eluded her so far. Do you think she can do that next season? Let us know in the comments below.