Billionaire Daughters Pegula, Navarro Advance To U.S. Open Semifinals

Posted by Admin September 5, 2024 Tennis

Topline

America’s ultra wealthy continue to enjoy great representation at the top of the tennis world after Jessica Pegula pulled off a major upset quarterfinal of the U.S. Open on Wednesday, joining another billionaire daughter in the semifinals.

The tournament’s remaining competitors will feature the daughters of an oil magnate and a former … [+] Citigroup vice president.

Associated Press

Key Facts

The sixth-ranked Pegula defeated tournament top-seed and World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in straight sets (6-2, 6-4) to book a spot in a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time in her career.

The 30-year-old tennis star is the daughter of Buffalo Bills owner and Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula.

On Tuesday, the 13th seeded Emma Navarro, defeated Spain’s Paula Badosa in her quarterfinal game 6-2, 7-5 after mounting a stunning comeback in the second set after being down 1-5.

Navarro, 23, is the daughter of former Citigroup vice president Ben Navarro, had reached the quarterfinals after defeating third-ranked Coco Gauff on Sunday in three sets.

Pegula will face 2023 French Open finalist, Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic, in her semifinal game on Thursday.

Navarro, who will also feature in her first ever Grand Slam semifinal on Thursday, will face World No. 2 and Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

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Crucial Quote

Wednesday’s game was Pegula’s seventh appearance at a quarterfinals in one of the four majors. After the game she said: “There have been so many freaking times, and I just kept losing…I know everyone keeps asking me about it, but I was like, ‘I don’t know what else to do. I just need to get there again and, like, win the match.’ So thank God I was able to do it. And finally — finally! — I can say, ‘Semifinalist.’”

Tangent

At a press conference earlier this week, Pegula pushed back against what she described as “outrageous” rumors about her lifestyle. “It’s 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.” She said people can think what they want but she finds it funny when she reads such comments about her.

Key Background

Pegula has been ranked as high as No. 3 in singles (capturing six titles) and No. 1 in doubles (seven titles), but has yet to capture a grand slam title. Navarro, an NCAA singles winner, captured her sole tour title earlier this year in Australia, and has reached a ranking high of No. 12.

Odds To Win

No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka is favored to win the tournament at -165 odds, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. While Pegula and Navarro have odds of +320 and +700, respectively.

Forbes Valuation

Terry Pegula is an oil magnate who Forbes estimates has a net worth of $7.7 billion. Ben Navarro, whose Sherman Financial Group owns the Las Vegas-based lender Credit One, has an estimated net worth of $1.5 billion.