“Working class hero,” Billionaire Jessica Pegula cleaning court with ballkids melts tennis fans who laud the American

Pegula overthrew her 'billionaire' status to help the ball kids clean up the court post-rain delay


“Working class hero,” Billionaire Jessica Pegula cleaning court with ballkids melts tennis fans who laud the American

Jessica Pegula recently triumphed in the Miami Masters quarter-finals after a thrilling match. The American struggled throughout the match but was finally able to move into the next round. Before the match could actually begin, the players faced issues due to rain delay. Pegula was spotted chatting with Anastasia Potapova at the net.

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Pegula displayed her down-to-earth nature regardless of her social class and position. The star was seen cleaning up the court with a towel, along with the ball kids. Fans were touched by the gesture as not all players perform such acts. Pegula is the richest tennis player of all time, racking up a net worth of $6.7 billion.

Pegula has won over $7 million in prize money. She is a five-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist and doubles finalist in a major also. Pegula is the daughter of Terry Pegula, owner of the Buffalo Bulls. Her wealth mostly comes from her inheritance. The heiress, hence, has a net worth of an astounding $6.7 billion.

With her wealthy background, her behavior towards her competitor and ball kids was appreciable. Fans called her ‘a working class hero’ and an ‘icon’ among some other terms. They lauded her team spirit and presence of humility, which is rare to see in privileged personas. Pegula has never let her background mar her personality.

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Fans also commended her work ethic and determination to make the match happen despite the delay due to the downpour. A fan reminisced about another instance where Roger Federer did the same as the American. Some of the fun-loving and enthusiastic reactions are mentioned below:

Also read: Jessica Pegula hopes of making her hometown Buffalo a tennis haven banking on her immense popularity

Jessica Pegula saves two match points to enter semi-finals in Miami

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The world No. 3 defeated Anastasia Potapova 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 by surviving two match points. Pegula overcame a set deficit to defeat the Russian in a tournament for the second time in a row. She fell behind by a break in the final set of their second-round match at Indian Wells before winning 7-5. Again, in Miami, Pegula had to gear up in order to win the match by a close margin.

“I really don’t know how I won,” Pegula said during the post-match interview, “She’s playing fearless, she’s going to be a top player. In my mind, she already is.” The American is scheduled to face Indian Wells champion, Elena Rybakina in the semi-final.

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