Jessica Pegula is an American professional tennis player who has competed on the WTA Tour since 2012.
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Date of Birth: |
24 Feb 1994 |
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Birthplace: |
Buffalo, New York, United States |
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Residence: |
Charleston, South Carolina, United States |
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Height: |
5'6" (170cm)
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Weight: |
154lbs (70kg)
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Plays: |
Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
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Turned Pro: |
2012 |
Jessica Pegula was born on February 24, 1994, in Buffalo, New York, in the United States, to multi-billionaire Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres owners, Terry and Kim Pegula, as one of five siblings (two of which are from her father's first marriage).
Pegula's formative years in Buffalo were undoubtedly influenced by her family's prominence in the sports world, with her parents owning two major professional sports teams. However, Pegula has carved out her niche and identity in the world of tennis, setting her apart from her family's legacy in American football and ice hockey.
Of half-Korean heritage due to her mother's Seoul origins, Jessica grew up alongside four siblings: Kelly, Matthew, Michael, and Laura. In her tennis career, Pegula has been one of the late bloomers, showing her qualities later on in her career.
She made her debut on the WTA Tour at the 2012 Indian Wells Masters, but in the early years of her career, Pegula was a player who struggled to break onto the main tour, moving between 100th and 200th place in the WTA Rankings.
But in 2021, Pegula seemingly finally found the secret recipe and started regularly reaching the quarterfinals of tournaments such as the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open, and also the Italian Open, Miami Open, and Madrid Open.
Her biggest career triumphs in these years were the Guadalajara Open win and the Canadian Open triumph, and in 2022 and 2023, she was known as one of the most consistent players, finishing the 2022 season as the world no. 3.
