Jessica Pegula’s success at the 2026 US Open has renewed interest in her family, particularly her billionaire parents, Terry and Kim Pegula.
The American tennis star is the daughter of the influential couple behind two of Buffalo’s biggest professional sports franchises: the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
While Jessica comes from one of the wealthiest families in American sports, she has built an accomplished career of her own on the tennis court. Her father’s estimated fortune should not be confused with Jessica’s personal net worth or career earnings.
Interest in the Pegula family increased as Jessica faced Canadian player Leylah Fernandez in the third round of the 2026 US Open. The two entered the match with Pegula holding a 3-1 advantage in their previous meetings, all of which were played on hard courts.
Who is Jessica Pegula’s father, Terry Pegula?
Terry Pegula is an American businessman who built his fortune in the oil and natural gas industry before creating one of the most prominent sports ownership groups in the United States.
Forbes estimated Terry Pegula’s real-time net worth at approximately $9.3 billion on September 4, 2026. Because billionaire rankings are tied to asset values and investments, the figure can change over time.
Pegula founded the energy company East Resources in 1983, reportedly using a $7,500 loan from family and friends. His major financial breakthrough came in 2010 when Royal Dutch Shell purchased most of the company’s assets for about $4.7 billion.
He subsequently expanded into professional sports. Terry purchased the Buffalo Sabres in 2011 and acquired the Buffalo Bills in 2014 for $1.4 billion.
The Pegula family’s sports portfolio has also included the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League and the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League.
Despite being raised in a wealthy sports family, Jessica has previously rejected suggestions that her accomplishments were simply handed to her. Injuries repeatedly interrupted the beginning of her professional career, and she did not break into the world’s top 100 until several years after turning professional.
Her career eventually developed into one of the strongest in American women’s tennis. Readers can also see our earlier coverage of Jessica Pegula’s match against Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
Who is Jessica Pegula’s mother, Kim Pegula?
Kim Pegula was born in South Korea and adopted by an American family when she was a child. She was raised in Fairport, New York, and later became one of the most powerful women in American professional sports.
Kim met Terry Pegula after college and later joined his company, East Resources. The couple married in 1993 and have three children together: Jessica, Kelly and Matthew. Terry also has two children from an earlier marriage.
In 2018, Kim made sports history when she became president of both the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres, making her the first woman to simultaneously hold that position with an NFL and NHL franchise.
Her life changed dramatically in June 2022 when she suffered cardiac arrest while sleeping. Jessica later revealed in a deeply personal Players’ Tribune essay that her sister Kelly performed CPR until an ambulance arrived.
The cardiac arrest caused a brain injury, and Kim subsequently experienced memory difficulties and expressive aphasia, a condition that can affect a person’s ability to communicate through speech or writing.
Kim largely withdrew from public life while undergoing rehabilitation. In August 2026, however, she made a rare public appearance alongside Terry at a Buffalo Bills practice held at the team’s new stadium.
Jessica has spoken openly about the emotional effect of her mother’s health emergency and the challenge of continuing her tennis career while her family adjusted to a very different reality.
Although her parents’ wealth regularly becomes part of the conversation surrounding her, Jessica’s tennis record stands separately. Her rise required years of recovery from injuries, extensive travel and sustained results against the best players in the world.
Her US Open run places that journey back in the spotlight—and reminds fans that the Pegula family’s story extends far beyond its multibillion-dollar sports empire.
Net-worth estimates fluctuate and should be treated as estimates rather than confirmed cash holdings.
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