In the end, it wasn’t meant to be for Jessica Pegula. The American star came close to winning her maiden Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows, but fell at the final hurdle, losing against Aryna Sabalenka in the summit clash. While her performances did stand out in the entire tournament, there was also much talk about her privileged status at the US Open. She is the daughter of the billionaire businessman, Terry, who has an oil and gas business and has an estimated net worth of $7.7 billion. Amid the talks of Jessica Pegula’s privileged status, Eugenie Bouchard has made an interesting remark.

During the US Open, many fans talked about the privileged status of Pegula as they compared her with players who struggle with basic facilities while rising through the ranks. They felt that Pegula made it to the big stage because she got the best of facilities while pursuing the sport. However, a die-hard tennis fan didn’t agree with the masses, as he wrote on X, “I don’t get why Jessica Pegula gets hated because she is “the daughter of” and comes from a wealthy family. She seems like a down-to-earth and fun person and worked her a** off to climb in the rankings. Just like EVERY PLAYER. You can’t buy talent and work ethic.”

Responding to that post, Canadian tennis beauty, Eugenie Bouchard, made an interesting comment, as she wrote, “Money can’t buy a US Open final.” Bouchard was probably trying to suggest that despite all the resources at her disposal, Pegula couldn’t have made it to a Grand Slam final without a lot of talent and hard work.

Despite coming from a billionaire family, Pegula indeed had to work hard. She showed tremendous dedication while pursuing the sport. It was only because of her relentless pursuit that she came close to achieving her dream at the recently-concluded US Open. But despite putting on consistent performances on the tour, Pegula’s background has often been questioned, and she once responded fittingly to it.

Jessica Pegula on her rise: ‘earned my stripes in the tennis world’

While Pegula has been at the top of her game lately, it hasn’t been a quick rise for her on the tour. The 30-year-old had to struggle a lot during her early days on the WTA Tour and she even suffered numerous injuries in 2014 and 2017. However, she had the determination to come back strongly from those setbacks and it was her hard work that made it possible, rather than her privileged status.

When asked about the regular discussions among the fans about her privileged status, Pegula said, “I have never wanted people to think I was given things. I think I have definitely earned my stripes in the tennis world. And I love to play. Why would I give up the opportunity to do something great, something I love when lots of people don’t get the chance?” 

Despite giving it her all, Pegula couldn’t overcome the challenge of Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final. However, she would look to put that heartbreaking loss behind her and end the season on a high. What do you think about Pegula’s future prospects? Let us know in the comments below.