Fortune favors the brave, it is often said. However, in the case of Jessica Pegula’s father, it was a mere four-digit sum that landed him on the list of billionaires. As his daughter plays her first Grand Slam final later today against the Belarusian star Aryna Sabalenka, there has been much talk about the billionaire status of Pegula’s family. Pegula’s father, Terry, reportedly, has a net worth of $7.7 billion, but from where did he make this massive fortune?

Jessica Pegula’s father is into the oil and gas business, East Resources, and has further ventured into other fields like sports. He owns multiple sports teams, including the Buffalo Bills, an NFL team. He was born into a coal mining family in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, and graduated with a degree in petroleum engineering.

During his early career days, Terry borrowed $7,500 from family and friends to start his business. Using that money, he purchased land in the Marcellus Shale, a rock formation that stretches between West Virginia and New York. East Resources, his company, was founded there, and he went on to build a successful business that made him a billionaire. Further, in 2010, he sold the bulk of the company to Royal Dutch Shell for $4.7 billion, according to Forbes.

Subsequently, the family ventured into sports, and in 2011, Terry bought the Buffalo Sabres hockey team in NHL, as well. Owing to the massive family wealth of Jessica Pegula, there have often been talks in the tennis circles about her privileged status. Once it was rumored that she arrived at her matches in a limousine. However, Pegula was quick to dismiss those rumors.

Jessica Pegula denies using her privileged status

Pegula was born with a silver spoon and had good facilities while pursuing the sport. However, she has risen through the ranks because of her talent. There has been a section of fans who have often criticized her for nepotism. But Pegula has remained unfazed.

During the post-match press conference at the US Open, she said, “People think I have a butler, that I get chauffeured around, that I have a private limo, that I fly private everywhere.” Subsequently, Pegula broke into laughter before admitting, “I’m definitely not like that.”

Despite the criticism about her privileged status, Pegula has achieved what she calls her ‘childhood dream.’ “It’s what I wanted when I was a kid. It’s a lot of work, a lot of hard work put in. You couldn’t even imagine how much goes into it. … I’m just happy to be in a final, but obviously, I come here to want to win the title,” Pegula said ahead of the US Open final. However, it won’t be a cakewalk for her to beat an in-form Aryna Sabalenka. Pegula will hope that, with the support of the home fans, she brings her A-game to the fore and lifts her maiden Grand Slam title at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.