WELT: Pegula Defeats Navarro in US Open Quarterfinal

Jessica Pegula defeated Emma Navarro in a US Open quarterfinal that drew a large crowd, advancing to face Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals, WELT reported.

Pegula Reaches US Open Semifinal Against Sabalenka

Third-ranked Jessica Pegula reached the US Open semifinals for the third year with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over fellow American Emma Navarro on Wednesday night. The match, which featured the daughters of two billionaires, attracted 24,000 spectators to Arthur Ashe Stadium. “The victory means everything to me. It was very difficult, physically, very humid,” Pegula said of her win. “I really didn’t serve my best and had to fight a lot of demons out there.”

Navarro led 2-1 in the third set and held a break but lost her serve at love and four games in a row to fall. The win sets up a rematch between Pegula and world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated Pegula in the 2022 final and the 2023 semifinal. Sabalenka advanced earlier in the day with a 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 7-6 win over Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic.

A Race for the World No. 1 Ranking

Both Pegula and Sabalenka have the opportunity to finish the US Open as the world’s top-ranked player. For either to achieve that, they must win the title and rely on Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina losing to China’s Zheng Qinwen in their quarterfinal match later on Thursday.

For both players, the prize money and endorsement earnings from their sport are a fraction of their family wealth. Pegula is the daughter of Terry Pegula, an oil magnate whose net worth is estimated at 10.2 billion euros, according to Forbes. Pegula’s father owns the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Navarro’s father, Ben Navarro, is worth an estimated 2.8 billion euros and made his fortune in finance before heavily investing in tennis.

The Business of Tennis Runs in the Family

Ben Navarro’s involvement in tennis extends beyond his daughter’s career. He founded the Sherman Financial Group in 1998 and acquired Credit One Bank in 2005. His tennis ventures include expanding the stadium in Charleston for the women’s tournament to 10,000 seats, purchasing the event organizer Charleston Tennis LLC, and acquiring the Cincinnati Masters. He also created Beemok Sports, a sports marketing firm.

“I really didn’t serve my best and had to fight a lot of demons out there,” Pegula said, acknowledging the physical and mental challenges of the match. Jessica Pegula, who is 32, reached the semifinal at the US Open for the third year in a row.

What’s Next at the US Open

The semifinal between Pegula and Sabalenka is scheduled for Friday. Should Rybakina defeat Zheng Qinwen, the winner of the Pegula-Sabalenka match will become the new world number one player.

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