Jessica Pegula has managed to snag herself a fresh nickname while making her way to the final of the Wuhan Open, where she will be going head-to-head with her fellow American, Coco Gauff, in a bid to secure her fourth singles title of the year. The 31-year-old athlete, who hails from Buffalo, took down top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-final with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 7-6, setting the stage for an all-American showdown on Sunday.
The Chinese fans have bestowed Pegula with a moniker that translates to ‘Big Rich’ in Mandarin – ‘Dafu’. In a recent episode of the Player’s Box Podcast, Pegula shared her thoughts on her newfound nickname alongside other tennis stars such as Maddison Keys, Jennifer Brady, and Desirae Krawczyk. She mentioned feeling a bit awkward about the name, but it seems like her Chinese fans are pretty set on it. Despite her attempts to request a more humble nickname, it seems like ‘Dafu’ is here to stay.
Pegula’s wealth doesn’t solely stem from her success on the tennis court. Her father, Terry Pegula, is a big shot in the petroleum industry, owning both the NFL team Buffalo Bills and the NHL franchise Buffalo Sabres with his wife, Kim. The Pegula family’s net worth is a staggering $7.5 billion (£5.9 billion), with Jessica herself believed to have a personal net worth of $13 million (£10.2 million). As she gears up to compete against Gauff in the Wuhan Open final, Pegula is aiming to add another title to her collection for the season.
