Jessica Pegula, the world’s wealthiest tennis sensation, delighted four other tennis players by offering them a ride to their next tournament on her private jet.
Pegula, 31, fresh off her victory in Austin last week against McCartney Kessler, extended her generosity beyond the court.
Pegula’s next tournament was in Indian Wells, California, a destination easily reachable immediately after her Austin win.
However, instead of traveling solo, the world No.4 waited to include the four doubles finalists in her travel plans.
McCartney Kessler, despite losing in the singles, was competing in the doubles final with Zhang Shuai against Anna Blinkova and Yuan Yue.
It was a tough day for Kessler, facing two defeats as Blinkova and Yuan won the doubles final in a match tiebreak.
Yuan Yue revealed on social media that Pegula’s thoughtful gesture saved them from a potentially grueling nine-hour drive to Indian Wells.
In her post, Yuan praised Pegula’s kindness, expressing awe at her generosity and calling her a “beautiful lady.”
Zhang Shuai also shared a picture of the private jet, explaining the logistical challenges players were facing to reach Indian Wells, with many needing to travel through various cities and endure long layovers.
Zhang further elaborated on Pegula’s selfless act, emphasizing that Pegula could have left for Indian Wells right after her singles final but chose to extend her invitation to all the doubles finalists.
She clarified that her message was to show appreciation for Pegula’s kindness and generosity, not to boast about traveling on a private jet.
Anna Blinkova echoed the sentiment, reposting Zhang’s message and thanking Jessica for her kindness and generosity.
Pegula responded to Zhang’s post with a playful comment, “Shuai you’re too cute lol.”
Jessica Pegula is often referred to as the “world’s richest tennis player” due to her family’s vast fortune.
Her father, Terry Pegula, owns prominent sports franchises like the Buffalo Bills in the NFL and the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL.
The Pegula family’s estimated net worth is around £7.7 billion, according to Forbes.
Jessica Pegula herself has achieved significant success in tennis, earning approximately £13.5 million in prize money.
As the fourth seed at Indian Wells, Pegula received a bye in the first round and awaits to face the winner between Peyton Stearns and Magda Linette in her opening match.
Interestingly, McCartney Kessler and Anna Blinkova are set to compete against each other in the Indian Wells singles event, with the winner potentially facing world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the second round.
The doubles draw for the tournament is scheduled to be announced on Wednesday.
