Jessica Pegula is one of the best American tennis players in the world. Her rise toward the top of the women’s singles division has been impressive, but her involvement in the sports world stems from birth.
Pegula, born to Terry and Kim Pegula, has been around sports her whole life, either as a fan or a stakeholder. Her parents own both the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres.
She stayed away from the turf and rink, choosing instead to hit the courts. Jessica debuted at the 2011 US Open at 17 years old, competing in both the singles and doubles tournaments. She didn’t advance past the quarterfinals as a singles competitor but made it to the third round alongside Taylor Townsend on the doubles side.
Pegula consistently competed in the yearly Grand Slams in the singles division since 2019. She reached the quarterfinal a few times in those events before finally advancing to the semifinal at the 2024 US Open.
Pegula began the fall tennis major ranked as the world’s No. 6 female tennis player. She started the event with a straight-set win over Shelby Rogers. Pegula needed a tiebreak victory in the first set against Sofia Kenin, but advanced in straight sets in the second round and then again over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the third round. She took down No. 18 Diana Shnaider in straight sets and used that momentum to overcome world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals.
While Jessica focuses on the 2024 US Open championship prize, Sporting News breaks down the Pegula family tree and introduces you to her parents, husband and siblings.
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Jessica Pegula’s dad
Terry Pegula is a billionaire who generated his wealth from petroleum engineering and fracking. He purchased the Buffalo Sabres in 2011, a move which fans of the franchise applauded at the time. The losing seasons have continued, and the team has yet to make the playoffs under the new ownership. He and Jessica’s mother, Kim, bought the Bills in 2014.
Prior to meeting Kim, Terry was married Anne Shirley, though not much is known about the timing of their marriage. The couple had two children together before divorcing. Terry married Kim in 1993. His estimated worth in 2024 is over $7 billion.
Jessica Pegula’s mom
Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1969. She was abandoned at five years old and then brought to the United States and adopted in 1974. She grew up just outside Rochester, New York, in Fairport, and attended Houghton College. Kim was interviewing for a waitress job when she met Terry, who offered her a job at his natural gas company. The couple eventually married in 1993 and had three kids.
Kim suffered a cardiac arrest in 2022, which led to a brain injury. She was declared incapacitated in March 2023 but has since been able to attend a few training camp practices, including one in July 2024 when she broke down the huddle following a Bills practice.
Jessica Pegula husband
It’s no secret who Pegula’s parents are, but you may not be as familiar with her husband. Pegula does a good job of keeping her private life private, so not much is known about when she began dating her now-husband, Taylor Gahagen. The best guess appears to be 2015. The couple eventually married in 2021. Gahagen worked for Pegula Sports and Entertainment, which Terry and Kim owned. He was involved with the company for about a decade, holding roles in marketing, promotions and as the director of corporate development.
Gahagen left Pegula Sports and Entertainment in 2023, and is now a managing partner for Agarwood Wealth and Dracos Capital, according to his LinkedIn.
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Jessica Pegula siblings
Pegula has four siblings, two from her father’s previous marriage and two from his marriage to Kim. Michael and Laura Pegula are from Terry’s marriage with Annie. Not much is known about Michael, but Laura joined the family petroleum business and has now taken over Kim’s role in the Bills’ organization following her stepmother’s medical state.
Kelly and Matthew are Jessica’s siblings from her father’s marriage to Kim. Kelly is an aspiring singer and fashion designer who has been linked to working for Pegula Sports and Entertainment. Similar to his stepbrother Michael, not much is known about Matthew other than the occasional birthday shoutout from the team’s official X account.
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Where is Jessica Pegula from?
Pegula was born in Buffalo, New York. She attended the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Communications and minoring in Administration of Justice. Pegula graduated in 2015 and turned her attention full-time to her professional tennis career.
Jessica Pegula net worth
Pegula’s net worth heading into the 2024 US Open was $14,304,673, but that doesn’t take into account her family wealth, and focuses solely on the money earned from her tennis career.