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On The Player’s Box podcast, Zheng Qinwen had the chance to ask Jessica Pegula a question and stayed true to her blunt, no-filter style, going straight to the point and leaving the American laughing uncontrollably.
Qinwen to Pegula:
“In China, we say why such a rich girl plays tennis because tennis is such a hard sport you know. Why you are not high class life?”
Too good 😂pic.twitter.com/rHqP4qWBB3
— Corvath Draemir (@Archaicmind3000) February 21, 2026
Chinese tennis fans have even nicknamed Pegula “Dafu” (大富), which roughly translates to “Big Rich” or “Big Wealthy,” a nod to her status as the daughter of billionaire businessman Terry Pegula. Her father, worth an estimated $9.3 billion, owns the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres, among other ventures.
Commenting on the Dafu nickname, Zheng asked Pegula in her blunt, straight-to-the-point style: “In China, we say, why does such a rich girl play tennis, because tennis is such a hard sport. Like why are you not, I don’t know, in those high class life?”
The world No. 5 Pegula, who is half-Korean, comes from one of the richest families in the world, as her father made a fortune in oil and gas and has since turned it into a sports empire. Interestingly, Jessica is the wealthiest athlete in the world thanks to her background! To put things in perspective, even legendary sports icons such as Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, and Lionel Messi pale in comparison to her vast fortune. The 31-year-old is wealthier than retired tennis stars Roger Federer, Serena Williams, and Maria Sharapova combined.
Even though she’s born into luxury, Jessica possesses an extraordinary work ethic and an unyielding determination to leave her mark on tennis history. To date, Pegula has amassed close to $23.5 million in prize money alone. Just this past weekend she won the WTA 1000 title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, earning $665,000.
